Crafting a favorable horror movie is undoubtedly a rollercoaster of a process, with a variety of key elements attributing to the film’s overall success and popularity amongst the community. On one hand, building a credible narrative and thought-provoking dialogue is essential, but one significant factor is a major component in the entire moviemaking ordeal — and that would be the choice of director.
In the past, the colossal horror universe has borrowed inspiration and authentic ideas from a lineup of star-studded filmmakers in the modern day — including Jordan Peele, Ari Aster, Robert Eggers, and Ti West. Long before them, notable directors such as John Carpenter, Wes Craven, and Sam Raimi dominated the spooky bubble and introduced us all to a realm of jumps and scares.
That being said, an unwavering list of potential directors who absolutely need to direct a horror movie continues to grow. This is not at all to say that these directors aren’t successful in different genres, but the fact still remains that we definitely yearn for these prominent filmmakers to have a seat in the director’s chair for a divine horror feature.
Alfonso Cuarón
Let’s make no bones about it — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the scariest, most unsettling movie in the entire franchise. That’s all thanks to the tremendous work of Cuarón, of course, who perfectly displayed how brilliant his cinematography and suspenseful pacing would be in regards to a full-length horror feature. Years ago, the acclaimed director was rumored to direct a horror flick, although it simply never came to be true. That being said, the spooky community has yet to stop championing for Cuarón to lead a fun-filled horror extravaganza.
Kathryn Bigelow
In a sea of gifted male filmmakers, award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow is amongst the best female auteurs — and it’s hard to deny that her presence in the horror genre would be a huge gift. Across her illustrious career thus far, the accomplished filmmaker has crafted action/thrillers such as The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, so it’s clear that she has a promising vision for leading the charge on projects rooted in suspense. And while her work in other prominent genres has been well-documented, it’s definitely time for her to step into the horror realm and master it brilliantly.
Quentin Tarantino
Without a doubt, Tarantino remains as one of the most popular and creative directors in all of Hollywood. So, naturally, wanting to see a horror movie derived from his expansive mind should hardly come as a huge surprise. And, sure, Death Proof and From Dusk Till Dawn exist (and both films do teeter on horror), but shifting his sights to craft a flat-out horror movie is exactly what we all need. Only time will tell if Tarantino ever does actually go through with it, but for now, we’ll keep on hoping.
Bong Joon-ho
With a cinematic masterpiece such as Parasite under his belt, the South Korean filmmaker has already shown the world that he has the chops to direct a larger-than-life horror journey. And yes, some might argue that Joon-ho has already dabbled in the horror/thriller sub-genre with The Host, but allowing him to crack his knuckles and create his own authentic and actual horror script would undoubtedly be a huge blessing for the ever-growing genre. Honestly, we need this like we need air.
Christopher Nolan
Each day that passes, passionate members of the horror community continue to collectively wait with bated breath for Nolan to deliver an unforgettable horror experience. And while Nolan’s Dark Knight films did manage to dabble with dark and grisly themes, witnessing an actual spooky flick from the accomplished auteur would be a dream come true. Considering his effortless storytelling, calculated pacing, and divine choice of setting, there’s absolutely no denying that Nolan would be one of the best directors for the job of a modern-day horror flick.
