Steven Allan Spielberg (born December 18, 1946) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era and one of the most popular directors and producers in film history.

After gaining traction in Hollywood with several minor theatrical releases, Spielberg gained notoriety through his work as the director for Jaws (1975), which was critically and commercially successful, and is considered the first summer blockbuster. His subsequent releases focused typically on science fiction and adventure films, with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), the Indiana Jones series, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and the Jurassic Park series seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking. Spielberg transitioned into displaying humanistic issues in his later work via the films The Color Purple (1985), Empire of the Sun (1987), Schindler's List (1993), Amistad (1997) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). He has largely adhered to this outlook during the 21st century, with the critically acclaimed Munich (2005), Lincoln (2012), Bridge of Spies (2015), and The Post (2017).

Spielberg's directing style and film-making techniques have gained acclaim, with his utilization of the reflection shot, expansive visual textures, and close-ups during tense situations, often dubbed the "Spielberg Face", still in use today. He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors, producers, and technicians, particularly with composer John Williams, and later, with actor Tom Hanks.

Outside of directing, Spielberg has worked as a producer for several successful films, including the Men in Black and Back to the Future series. He co-founded the DreamWorks animation studio, where he has also served as a producer. Spielberg later transitioned into producing several games within the video-game industry.

Spielberg is one of the American film industry's most critically successful filmmakers, and has won the Academy Award for Best Director twice. Some of his movies are also among the highest-grossing movies of all-time, while his total work, unadjusted for ticket-price inflation, makes him highest-grossing film director in history. His net worth is estimated to be more than $3 billion.