Forbes Favorites 2024: The Year’s Best Entertainment Stories

It was a turbulent year for the entertainment industry, with broad layoffs and slowing production affecting thousands of jobs in music, film and television, and the financial outlooks of leading companies, many of whom are looking to sell, merge, or restructure their operations to weather the storm.

Still, in a fragmented attention economy, producing a hit was as valuable as ever. In January, Forbes named legendary television producer Dick Wolf a billionaire, as his Law & Order, Chicago and FBI shows serve as some of the last remaining pillars holding up the broadcast TV schedule. Larry David probably should be joining him in that elite club, but the Curb Your Enthusiasm star’s net worth is only half of what his Seinfeld co-creator Jerry Seinfeld is worth. Director Christopher Nolan, who split contentiously with Warner Bros. in 2020, bet on himself with his next project and earned a massive payday when Oppenheimer became a phenomenon. Usher played the Super Bowl Halftime Show for free, but still netted millions.

Throughout the year, Forbes tracked the most successful creatives across all areas of the entertainment industry. From the highest-paid movie stars on the planet, to the highest-grossing summer concerts, the showrunners building their own TV kingdoms, to the dead celebrities whose estates still pull in millions every year, we tracked how power was measured in cold hard cash.

Elsewhere, we took a close look into the decades-long battle over profits for The Blair Witch Project creators, and scoured documents showing the profitability of Disney’s recent movie releases. We wrote a career retrospective for Dick Van Dyke’s 99th birthday, and an analysis of the $170 million lawsuit brought against the creators of breakout show Baby Reindeer.

But there remain a few stories from the year that rise above the rest, and represent the best storytelling and analysis on the business of entertainment from 2024.

Inside The Rubble Of Diddy’s Empire

By Lisette Voytko-Best

Sean Combs was once on a glide path to becoming a billionaire. But as sexual assault allegations and civil lawsuits mounted in the first half of this year, business partners fled and his brands became increasingly worthless. In June, Forbes did a comprehensive examination at what remained in his portfolio and how it might be affected by his ongoing legal troubles.

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By Matt Craig

The hip-hop legend has gone from parental advisory to family friendly, and became one of the biggest stars of this 2024 thanks to his appearances on Olympic coverage from Paris. Forbes caught up with the D-O-double-G at his Los Angeles compound in August, where he talked about how he would capitalize on the attention, including joining The Voice and releasing a new Dr. Dre–produced album, all while looking for new joint ventures—including the kind you roll—that will keep his grandchildren set for life.

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By Alex York

She put Hollywood on hold a decade ago to raise a family with Ryan Gosling. This year, the 50-year-old actress reemerged as a cleaning-supplies entrepreneur, and dished on why doing dishes is her happy place.

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By Lisette Voytko-Best

The Boss went from E Street to Easy Street by staying true to his humble roots—and rolling up his sleeves and going to work. Even now, at 75, he’s out there touring and doing three-hour shows. Here’s how the blue-collar hero joined the 10-figure club.

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By Maggie McGrath

The first Black woman to direct a $100 million-grossing film is shunning the studios and their rules—and turning to philanthropists like Melinda French Gates. In August, DuVernay sat down for an extended interview to discuss her career and how she’s blazing the trail for women behind her.

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By Matt Craig

Producing a hit TV series like The Bear was once a path to serious riches for its cast and creators. But in another massive entertainment shift, developing groundbreaking shows is worth hundreds of millions less than it used to be. But in Hollywood’s post-strike, all-streaming landscape, it seems like no one is happy with the amount of money going around. Forbes gave TV’s top dealmakers a chance to sound off.

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By Rachel King

The 32-time Grammy award winner released a new shiny object for the top shelf in the form of a Japanese-style inspired whisky made in collaboration with Moët Hennessy. Its creators say the pop star was heavily involved in the process, including the name and bottle design. They explain how they made a spirit blend that accurately reflects Beyoncé’s brand and palate.

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