Two of the hottest producers of right now are Judd Apatow and Jerry Bruckheimer, though you’re probably more familiar with Bruckheimer’s name. Between them, each of their last five films combined (i.e, ten in total) have pulled box office profits of about $1.6B.

In the TV arena, Bruckheimer’s name is behind the three CSI franchises (CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: NY), Cold Case, Without a Trace, The Amazing Race, and more. In movies, his producing credits go back to 1972 and include Thief, Cat People, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop I and II, Days of Thunder, Crimson Tide, Dangerous Minds, Pirates of the Carribean (all three), National Treasure and National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets.

While Apatow is a relative newcomer to Bruckheimer’s veteran career, Apatow has about half the producing credits since only 1991, starting out in TV with Jim Carrey, Tom Arnold, Roseanne Arnold, and Ben Stiller and later Larry Sanders. One of his first big movie productions is The Cable Guy (directed by Ben Stiller, starring Jim Carrey and Matthew Broderick), followed by arguably entertaining flicks such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Kicking & Screaming, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Knocked Up, Superbad, and the just-opened Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.

Obviously two very different demographics are being targeted by either producer, but apparently very successfully. While I am not nor ever have been a movie snob, I’ll have to admit I wouldn’t have rushed out to see any of Apatow’s movies in a theater – with the possible exception of Walk Hard simply because dishy Jenna Fischer is in it. I love super-talented Will Ferrell as much as the next SNL fan, but his characters in Apatow films are complete buffoons. I’m happy saving $8-15 per flick and seeing them for free on TV.

Surprisingly to me, I’ve also never rushed out to see Bruckheimer films, though I have gladly watched pretty much all of the big ones on TV. I’m also a very big fan of most of his TV crime dramas, including CSI, Cold Case and Without a Trace.

Of course, they aren’t the only two hot producers, but at present, they appear to be doing quite well for themselves. Apatow is producing four films for 2008 and two for 2009. Bruckheimer only has one for 2008 and two for 2009.