8 Amazing Documentaries about Billionaires and Their Secrets to Success...or Failure - The Documentary Reviewers (2024)

The dream of becoming a millionaire is so 20th century. Why limit yourself? It’s time to think big…really big. That’s what each and every person did in these documentaries about billionaires.

Some may have married into wealth or inherited from their parents, but others were born with the rare talent it takes to build a billionaire fortune all on their own.

Either way, there are a lot of reasons to watch these billionaire documentaries.

Even a small lesson may take you one step forward to your own fortune.

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8 Amazing Documentaries about Billionaires and Their Secrets to Success...or Failure - The Documentary Reviewers (1)

Becoming Warren Buffett

8 Amazing Documentaries about Billionaires and Their Secrets to Success...or Failure - The Documentary Reviewers (2)

In Becoming Warren Buffett, the king of billionaires, or at least the humblest, is profiled from birth until current day.

Warren Buffett’s story is inspirational for a ton of reasons – he’s a self-made billionaire, outrageously dedicated, and hard working. He’s just like us!

Most importantly, this documentary lays out some of the critical traits that helped Buffett get to where he is.

All of these traits can be emulated, so there’s a ton that can be learned from this great billionaire documentary.

It’s a definite must-watch!

Trump: An American Dream

If there’s one billionaire we all know more than others, it’s Donald Trump and Trump: An American Dream follows the mogul from his young adult life up until his decision to run for president.

Trump’s life as a business-man-turned-billionaire is a fascinating and interesting one, full of lessons and anecdotes about what he did to become so wealthy…and whether it would have been possible for anyone else.

From the center of Manhattan to the shores of Atlantic City, Trump’s life is full of business success…and failure.

This is a really great billionaire documentary, both from a business perspective, as well as political (though not too strong on the politics!).

Definitely add it to your queue!

Related post: The Best Netflix Docuseries to Binge-Watch This Weekend

Betting on Zero

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Betting on Zero is a great business documentary that profiles billionaire Bill Ackman as he makes a billion dollar bet against nutritional supplement giant Herbalife.

This billionaire documentary not only provides a glimpse into the life of a successful hedge fund manager, but also delves into the world of multilevel marketing and begs the question – what exactly is the difference between multilevel marketing and a good old fashioned pyramid scheme?

Bill Ackman is pretty sure he knows the answer, but he’s got a lot to prove if he wants to be right.

This is a great documentary about billionaires and perfect if you want a glimpse into the world of Wall Street!

Napoleon Hill’s Master Key

8 Amazing Documentaries about Billionaires and Their Secrets to Success...or Failure - The Documentary Reviewers (4)

Naploeon Hill (author of Think and Grow Rich) based his entire career off of studying the uber wealthy, all after a chance encounter with possibly the world’s greatest billionaire, Andrew Carnegie.

Andrew Carnegie saw potential in Hill and not only took him under his wing, he also introduced him to other powerful men of their time – Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison (seriously!), Henry Ford, and many more.

After a few successful books, Napoleon Hill finally created a documentary – Napoleon Hill’s Master Key – that lays out exactly what you need to do to become successful, based off of everything he observed from his billionaire counterparts.

Of all the documentaries about billionaires, this one will certainly provide you with the most tips to create your own wealth. Be ready – it’s OLD. Like, really old. But that only adds to the value and proves that the best lessons on building wealth are truly timeless.

Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich

For a billionaire documentary about abuse, power…and a whole lot of money…look no further than Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich.

A name we all undoubtedly know by now, this new Netflix docuseries provides way more information about Epstein’s crimes (in case you aren’t familiar, they include peodophilia and sex trafficking), his secret life, and, of course, his immense wealth.

One thing that is truly eye-opening in this documentary is just how much power Epstein wielded in the world of politics…so much so that he was able to brazenly commit these crimes, all while ensuring he would never be held accountable.

The secret lives of the rich are certainly fascinating, but this one is also disturbing. It’s a great docuseries about a billionaire though, with many influential faces that you’ll surely recognize.

Add it to your Netflix queue and fill your weekend with this binge-watch!

Agnelli

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Agnelli is an inspiring documentary that tells the tale of Gianni Agnelli, playboy billionaire and head of Fiat, within the backdrop of post WWII industrialism.

What DiVinci was to Italy’s art and scientific renaissance, Gianni Agnelli was to Italy’s industrial renaissance. He was a beacon of sexuality, power, and wealth. If that wasn’t enough, he captured the minds and hearts of everyone. As the documentary puts it: “Every woman was in love with him. Every man wanted to be him.”

In addition to entertaining you, this documentary will inspire you to make a difference in the world, become your own person and to warn you against the person you don’t want to be.

This is a good one! Time to update your watchlist.

Related post: Agnelli Documentary Review

The Queen of Versailles

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Not all billionaires have brilliant lessons to teach us. Some give us the valuable opportunity to learn from their mistakes…even if that wasn’t their intention.

In The Queen of Versailles, Jackie Siegel (wife to billionaire real estate mogul David Siegel) invites a film crew to follow the construction of the country’s largest home – her soon-to-be-home, to be exact.

Amidst the filming, however, the Siegel’s are hit by the real estate bubble and slowly start to lose their fortune.

This is a sometimes comical, but always entertaining documentary about billionaire lifestyles, big bets, and even bigger losses. It’s one of our all-time favorites, so squeeze it into your watch list!

How to Be a Billionaire

8 Amazing Documentaries about Billionaires and Their Secrets to Success...or Failure - The Documentary Reviewers (7)

How to Be a Billionaire profiles 3 different self-made billionaires: Naveen Jain, Dmitry Itskov, and Michael Birch.

Each made their wealth in different industries and now focuses on separate passions.

But one thing is similar with each of these men: they are outrageously passionate about their goals and think BIG. We’re talking really, really, really big.

This is a quick watch, but you’re likely to have a lot of ah-ha moments.

Related post: How to Be a Billionaire Documentary Review

There’s a lot to learn from each one of these documentaries about billionaires, no matter how entertaining they may also be! Let me know if you’ve seen other amazing billionaire documentaries and we’ll add them to the list! Happy watching. 🙂

You may also be interested in:

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  • The Best Big Business Documentaries that They Don’t Want You to See
  • 10 Documentaries that Will Make You Happier, Healthier, and Wealthier

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8 Amazing Documentaries about Billionaires and Their Secrets to Success...or Failure - The Documentary Reviewers (2024)

FAQs

What billionaire has a documentary? ›

Bill Gates was the man who revolutionized tech. As a businessman, he was considered both visionary and ruthless. Then a remarkable transformation took place, and he began a mission to save the world. This fascinating documentary sets out to discover what makes this tech titan tick.

What's the highest grossing documentary? ›

All Time Worldwide Box Office for Documentary Movies
RankReleasedMovie
12009Michael Jackson's This Is It
21984Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets
32004Fahrenheit 9/11
42005La marche de l'empereur
79 more rows

Who was close to being a trillionaire? ›

It was Bezos, not Musk, who a few years ago was expected to become the world's first trillionaire, and who now isn't expected to join the club until 2030, some six years after Musk. The volatility of the trillionaire race makes it one to keep an eye on.

Which billionaire lost 70 billion dollars? ›

But Son's fairytale didn't last long. After the dot-com bubble burst, his company Softbank's shares plunged 75 percent in two months and was 93 percent lower by the end of 2000. The business almost went bankrupt and Son ended up losing USD 70 billion, the highest ever recorded financial loss for a person in history.

What is the number 1 movie that made the most money? ›

That makes the No. 1 title, “Avatar,” even more impressive, since the underwater epic came out 15 years ago, when ticket prices were lower, yet is still on top of the worldwide list. Its sequel, “The Way of Water,” hovers not far behind at No. 3.

What is the most watched documentary ever? ›

Most Watched Documentary Movies
titlehours
TV Shows by season Grouped together
1.Pamela, A Love Story41,800,000 41.8M
2.The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker38,700,000 38.7M
3.Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me26,100,000 26.1M
40 more rows

Who was the first documented billionaire? ›

The American oil magnate John D. Rockefeller became the world's first confirmed U.S. dollar billionaire in 1916. As of 2018, there are over 2,200 U.S. dollar billionaires worldwide, with a combined wealth of over US$9.1 trillion, up from US$7.67 trillion in 2017.

Where can I watch the billionaire documentary? ›

Watch Billionaire | Prime Video.

What is the BBC documentary about billionaires? ›

The Billionaires Who Made Our World.

Which billionaire reads the most? ›

According to Pew Research, the typical American reads about four books a year. Compare that to the reading habits of American billionaire Bill Gates. He doesn't simply outpace an average reader, he's on an entirely different level; he powers through an astounding 50 books each year.

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