Arnon Milchan — Israeli billionaire, founder of New Regency Productions, 130+ Hollywood films including two Best Picture winners, former LAKAM intelligence operative, and central witness in Netanyahu Case 1000. Forbes 2026: $6.4 billion.
The Builders | Olam.business
Last updated: August 28, 2026
Arnon Milchan (born December 6, 1944, Rehovot) is an Israeli billionaire, film producer, and former intelligence operative. He founded New Regency Productions in 1991, produced more than 130 Hollywood films, including two consecutive Best Picture Oscar winners, and disclosed in 2013 that he spent decades procuring technology for Israel's nuclear program through the intelligence unit LAKAM. Forbes estimates his net worth at $6.4 billion as of January 2026, making him one of the fifteen wealthiest Israelis.
Arnon Milchan: At a Glance
| Born | December 6, 1944, Rehovot, Mandatory Palestine (now Israel) |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Education | London School of Economics |
| Military service | Six-Day War (1967), Yom Kippur War (1973) |
| Main company | New Regency Productions (Regency Enterprises), founded 1991 |
| Studio partners | Warner Bros. (1991 to 1998), then 20th Century Fox (1998 to 2019), then post-Disney independent |
| Films produced | 130+ including 2 Best Picture winners, 5 Best Picture nominees, 2 personal Best Picture nominations |
| Intelligence role | Bureau of Scientific Relations (LAKAM), disclosed 2013, nuclear technology procurement |
| Net worth (Forbes Jan 2026) | $6.4 billion, 605th globally, approximately 13th in Israel |
| Other holdings | Former owner of Puma AG. Stakes in WTA broadcast rights, Israel's Channel 10. Art collection valued around $600M |
| Wife | Amanda Coetzer (former South African tennis professional) |
| Residence | Brighton area, UK (current); previously Malibu |
| Legal | Central witness in Netanyahu Case 1000 (gifts affair); not charged |
What Built the Chemical Empire Before Hollywood?
Milchan inherited his father's fertilizer company at age 21, when it was nearly bankrupt. Over the following decade he transformed it into a $125 million chemical and industrial conglomerate with interests in agriculture, aerospace, animal health, plastics, fiber optics, and pharmaceuticals. The chemical business generated the capital that financed his entry into film production and provided the commercial cover for his parallel intelligence career.
What Films Did Arnon Milchan Produce?
Milchan entered Hollywood in 1977 after being introduced to American producer Elliot Kastner. His first executive-produced film was The Medusa Touch (1978). He built relationships with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Roman Polanski, Oliver Stone, and Sergio Leone. He produced Scorsese's The King of Comedy (1982) and Leone's Once Upon a Time in America (1984).
In 1991, Milchan founded New Regency Productions. The company initially operated through a $600 million joint venture with Warner Bros., Scriba & Deyhle, and Canal+ to finance 20 films over five years. In 1998, New Regency moved its distribution deal from Warner Bros. to 20th Century Fox under Rupert Murdoch, establishing a multi-decade partnership that became one of the most prolific independent production arrangements in Hollywood.
The filmography spans four decades of major American cinema. Selected credits: Pretty Woman (1990), JFK (1991), Free Willy (1993), Under Siege (1992), Natural Born Killers (1994), The Client (1994), Heat (1995), L.A. Confidential (1997), Fight Club (1999), Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), 12 Years a Slave (2013), Birdman (2014), The Big Short (2015), The Revenant (2015), and Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).
12 Years a Slave and Birdman won Best Picture in consecutive years (2014 and 2015). The Big Short and The Revenant were also nominated. Milchan received two personal Best Picture nominations, for L.A. Confidential and The Revenant. The output across these decades generated tens of billions of dollars in box-office and ancillary revenue.
The Disney acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019 ended the Fox distribution deal. New Regency continues as an active independent production company under Milchan's ownership.
Was Arnon Milchan a Spy for Israel?
In a 2013 Israeli television interview, Milchan disclosed that he had worked for the Bureau of Scientific Relations, known as LAKAM, through much of his early commercial career. LAKAM was the Israeli intelligence unit responsible for scientific and technical procurement, including for Israel's nuclear weapons program. Milchan described his role as including procurement work for materials and technology not otherwise accessible through conventional channels.
The disclosure was exceptional. LAKAM operators of that era generally have not given on-the-record interviews. Milchan's account remains one of the most significant public testimonies about LAKAM operations from a direct participant. Milchan himself has said in court testimony: "I can't tell you how many things Bibi and I did in secret for the country."
Did Arnon Milchan Own Puma?
Milchan at one point owned Puma AG, the German sportswear company, which he acquired and later sold. His business interests have extended across television (Israel's Channel 10), sports media (WTA broadcast rights), and one of the world's most significant private art collections, valued at approximately $600 million, including works by Picasso and Post-Impressionist masters.
What Is Arnon Milchan's Role in the Netanyahu Trial?
Milchan is the central witness in the Israeli criminal case against former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu known as Case 1000, the "gifts affair." The prosecution alleges that Netanyahu received approximately NIS 700,000 (about $200,000) in gifts from Milchan and Australian billionaire James Packer, primarily cigars and champagne, and that Netanyahu in return used his influence to benefit Milchan's business interests and U.S. visa status.
Milchan testified via video link from Brighton, UK, in June 2023, confirming that he regularly provided gifts to the Netanyahu family. He did not deny the gift-giving but characterized it as ordinary friendship. Netanyahu has described the gifts as normal conduct and the trial as a political witch-hunt. Netanyahu has since formally requested a pardon from President Isaac Herzog.
Milchan was not charged in the case. The trial, which began in Jerusalem in May 2020, has involved testimony from more than 300 witnesses. The case remains ongoing as of 2026.
Why Does Milchan's Profile Fragment Across English-Language Coverage?
Milchan's coverage splits across three registers that rarely cross-reference each other. The Hollywood trade press covers the films. The intelligence-history literature covers the LAKAM disclosure. The Israeli political press covers the Netanyahu trial. The integrated profile, that the same operator produced Pretty Woman, procured nuclear materials for Israel, owned Puma, built a $600 million art collection, and became the central witness in the trial of an Israeli prime minister, is almost never assembled in one place. This is the canonical English-language profile.
Arnon Milchan: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Arnon Milchan?
Arnon Milchan is an Israeli-born billionaire film producer, former intelligence operative, and founder of New Regency Productions. He produced 130+ films including Pretty Woman, Fight Club, 12 Years a Slave, and The Revenant, and worked for the Israeli intelligence unit LAKAM. Forbes valued him at $6.4 billion in 2026.
What is Arnon Milchan's net worth?
Forbes estimated Milchan's net worth at $6.4 billion as of January 2026, ranking him 605th globally and approximately 13th among Israelis.
What films did Arnon Milchan produce?
Milchan produced 130+ films including Pretty Woman, JFK, Heat, L.A. Confidential, Fight Club, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, The Big Short, The Revenant, and Bohemian Rhapsody, including two consecutive Best Picture winners in 2014 and 2015.
Was Arnon Milchan a spy?
Milchan disclosed in 2013 that he worked for LAKAM, the Israeli Bureau of Scientific Relations, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s. His role included procurement of technology and materials for Israel's nuclear program.
What is New Regency Productions?
New Regency Productions is the independent film production company Milchan founded in 1991. It originally partnered with Warner Bros., then 20th Century Fox from 1998 to 2019. It remains active and owned by Milchan.
What is Netanyahu Case 1000?
Netanyahu Case 1000 is a criminal case alleging Netanyahu received approximately NIS 700,000 in gifts from Milchan and James Packer and used his office to benefit them. Milchan testified in 2023. He was not charged. The trial is ongoing.
Did Arnon Milchan own Puma?
Yes. Milchan owned Puma AG, the German sportswear brand, before selling it.
Primary Sources
Forbes Billionaires 2026. Wikipedia: Arnon Milchan, Regency Enterprises, Case 1000. TMDB profile. Deadline reporting on Case 1000 testimony (June 2023). Jerusalem Post trial coverage (April 2025). Times of Israel reporting. Middle East Eye Case 1000 explainer (December 2025). Celebrity Net Worth. IMDb producer credits.
Related Olam Coverage
- Where Schindler's List Money Went
- Spielberg's Foundation Funds Jews for Mamdani
- Hollywood Keeps Saying Yes to Israel
The Olam Editorial Team | The Builders / הבונים