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- 14 emerging movie directors who will take over Hollywood in 2019 and beyond
14 emerging movie directors who will take over Hollywood in 2019 and beyond
- These are the directors whose movies we'll be falling in love with for years to come.
- They include the likes of Steven Caple Jr. ("Creed II"), Bo Burnham ("Eighth Grade"), and Desiree Akhavan ("The Miseducation of Cameron Post").
2018 has been a great year at the box office, and it has also showcased the talents of many filmmakers who are on the cusp of major fame.
In some cases, like that of Bo Burnham (the indie hit "Eighth Grade") and Steven Caple Jr. (box office champ "Creed II"), we got a glimpse of talents who were just figuring out their craft. With others, like Desiree Akhavan ("The Miseducation of Cameron Post") and Brady Corbet ("Vox Lux"), 2018 showed us that artists known for their work in front of the camera were just as talented behind it.
Here we look at 14 directors who you should keep an eye out for in 2019 and beyond:
Desiree Akhavan (“The Miseducation of Cameron Post”)
Since she built a fan base through her 2011 web series, “The Slope,” Akhavan’s profile has only grown as she’s told some of the most original stories about sexuality and relationships of anyone working today. Her 2014 feature debut, “Appropriate Behaviour,” also starred Akhavan as a Persian bisexual Brooklynite just trying to fit in. And in this year’s “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” which won the grand jury prize at Sundance in January, Akhavan casts Chloë Grace Moretz in the incredible role of a teenage girl forced to go to gay conversion therapy. Akhavan is currently starring in the British series she created, “The Bisexual” (which you can see on Hulu).
Julius Avery (“Overlord”)
With just two features under his best, this Austrian writer-director has quickly gotten on the radar of some of the biggest players in Hollywood. J. J. Abrams produced his latest movie, “Overlord,” which has become a hit with critics and is destined to be a horror cult classic as it follows US soldiers behind enemy lines before D-Day who uncover secret Nazi experiments. And off of that success, Avery has now been pegged to direct a Flash Gordon movie for Fox.
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (“Captain Marvel”)
Though this duo are known in the indie world with such favorites as “Half Nelson,” “Sugar,” and “Mississippi Grind” under their belts, next year they hit the mainstream with “Captain Marvel.” Marking the first movie in the MCU with a female as the lead, Boden and Fleck’s grounded quality will be a nice mix to the action and explosions we have come to expect from a Marvel movie.
Bo Burnham (“Eighth Grade”)
Known best for his comedy work that first found attention on YouTube, Burnham has taken the leap to feature film directing and pulled off one of the most authentic looks at being a teen in 2018 with "Eighth Grade." The movie follows a girl (played by Elsie Fisher) navigating her eighth-grade year and hoping things will get better in high school. It's the kind of story we all can relate to, regardless when we were that age. But Burnham shows his incredible talent by tapping into the character and bringing an authenticity that very few could pull off.
Steven Caple Jr. (“Creed II”)
Want to see how you can work under pressure? Try following up Ryan Coogler to continue telling the successful “Creed” franchise. That’s what Caple was tasked with. While Coogler went off to make “Black Panther,” Caple came on to make “Creed II.” And it turned out he was up for the task. Caple put his mark on the franchise while still dropping the familiar nods to the “Rocky” franchise we all love. While we wait to see if he'll come back from a third "Creed" movie, Caple is currently working on a script to an original movie he's developing.
Aneesh Chaganty (“Searching”)
Chaganty’s directorial debut, "Searching," was a hit at Sundance this year thanks to his unique take on the thriller as it follows a father (played by John Cho) who tries to find his missing daughter by breaking into her laptop. Most of the story is told from inside the technology we use every day (phones, computer screens). Chaganty has definitely caught the attention of the majors with "Searching." He’s already working on his next thriller, “Run,” which will star Sarah Paulson and be released by Lionsgate.
Brady Corbet (“Vox Lux”)
After years building up his acting credits and a reputation as a talented character actor, Corbet is now showing his directing skills are on point as well with his second feature, “Vox Lux.” The movie stars Natalie Portman as pop star Celeste and is generating awards buzz. Quite a ride for a guy who is just 30 years old.
Yann Demange (“White Boy Rick”)
Known best for his British historical thriller back in 2014, “’71,” Demange this year found attention for the drug tale, “White Boy Rick,” and showed that he could bring his unique visual style while working with a big star like Matthew McConaughey. It will be fascinating to see what he does for his follow-up.
Carlos López Estrada (“Blindspotting”)
Estrada was behind "Blindspotting," one of the most powerful movies of the year, in which he used the talents of his leads (and screenwriters), Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, to create a movie that’s a love letter to Oakland while also exploring some very serious social issues.
Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”)
Following the success of her Oscar-nominated “Lady Bird,” fans of Gerwig are excited for her next directing effort coming out in 2019, “Little Women.” The latest adaptation of the classic novel will star Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Timothée Chalamet, Bob Odenkirk, and Laura Dern. Yes, you should be exited.
Gene Graham (“This One’s for the Ladies”)
You will be hearing a lot more about Graham at the start of 2019. The documentary filmmaker’s second film, “This One’s for the Ladies,” was bought by Neon (“I, Tonya”) before its world premiere at last year’s SXSW Film Festival. It then wowed audiences at the fest with its look at contemporary black America by taking a glimpse at the world of underground exotic dancing.
Sam Levinson (“Assassination Nation”)
The son of Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson, Sam impressed the industry this year with his second feature, “Assassination Nation,” a raw satire on today’s society that is best described as “The Purge” meets “Spring Breakers.” But beyond all of that you can see the talent of Levinson with the film’s ambitious photography choices and strong character development.
Quinn Shephard (“Blame”)
2018 showcased the incredible talent of 22-year-old Quinn Shephard. Along with starring opposite Chloë Grace Moretz in “The Miseducation of Cameron Post,” she also released her debut feature as a director, “Blame,” which she self-financed using her college fund. With a drive to tell teen stories with adult topics, she brings a unique take on a market that every movie studio, TV network, and streaming company is thirsty to have.
Carly Stone (“The New Romantic”)
With rom-coms now popular again, Carly Stone has shown up with her first movie at the right time. “The New Romantic” earned Stone a special jury award at this year’s SXSW Film Festival and a release theatrically by The Orchard. She’s busy now putting the final touches on a short film, but we can’t wait to see what she plans to give us next.