The 13 best horror movie directors working today who terrify us over and over again

Most recent film: "Hereditary" (2018)

Next film: Unknown

First horror film: "Hereditary"

"Hereditary" is proving to be a polarizing movie with audiences, but Ari Aster delivers a brutal and meticulously crafted horror film for the ages with his feature directorial debut.

Most recent film: "The Shape of Water" (2017)

Next film: "Nightmare Alley"

First horror film: "Cronos" (1993)

Del Toro finally won the directing Oscar this year for "The Shape of Water," which also won Best Picture. Some may argue that it's not a horror movie, but I beg to differ. Whatever the case, del Toro is one of the horror masters working today, simply because he so often blurs the lines of what a horror movie can be. His career stretches back over two decades, and includes the likes of fantasy superhero movies (with horror elements) like "Blade II" and "Hellboy," and fantasy horror like "The Devil's Backbone," and the critically acclaimed "Pan's Labyrinth." Next, he'll remake the 1947 film noir "Nightmare Alley."

Most recent film: "The Witch" (2016)

Next film: "The Lighthouse" (2019)

First horror film: "The Witch"

"The Witch" was one of the best reviewed movies of 2016, scoring 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Eggers will return next year with another fantasy horror, "The Lighthouse," starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe.

Most recent film: "The Babadook" (2014)

Next film: "The Nightingale" (2018)

First horror film: "The Babadook"

Kent made quite an impression with the critically acclaimed "The Babadook." Her next film, an Australian revenge-drama set in the 1820s called "The Nightingale," is in post-production, according to IMDb.

Most recent film: "It Follows" (2014)

Next film: "Under the Silver Lake" (2018)

First horror film: "It Follows"

Mitchell's next film, "Under the Silver Lake," will be a crime dramedy starring Andrew Garfield. A24 recently pushed back its release date from this summer to December. Mitchell's "It Follows," about a demon that is passed on by having sex with someone else, was one of the best horror movies of the decade, so here's hoping he returns to the genre.

Most recent film: "It" (2017)

Next film: "It: Chapter 2" (2019)

First horror film: "Mama" (2013)

Mushietti delivered one of 2017's biggest surprise hits with his adaptation of Stephen King's "It." He'll follow it up next year with the second chapter, which began filming this month.

Most recent film: "Get Out" (2017)

Next film: "Us" (2019)

First horror film: "Get Out"

Peele won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his social-horror hit "Get Out," and he already has a follow-up on the way. Horror-thriller "Us," starring Lupita Nyong'o, comes to theaters in March.

Most recent film: "Annabelle: Creation" (2017)

Next film: "Shazam!" (2019)

First horror film: "Lights Out" (2016)

Sandberg had back-to-back well-reviewed horror movies with "Lights Out" and "Annabelle: Creation," and he's stepping into the superhero genre next year with DC's "Shazam!" But hopefully he doesn't step away from horror for too long.

Most recent film: "Green Room" (2016)

Next film: "Hold the Dark" (2018)

First horror film: "Murder Party" (2007)

Saulnier's neo-Nazi horror movie "Green Room" was hailed as one of the best movies of 2016 by many critics, including at the A.V. Club. He directed the first two episodes of the next season of HBO's "True Detective," but his next film will be "Hold the Dark," about a writer hired to track down a missing child.

Most recent film: "It Comes At Night" (2017)

Next film: Unknown

First horror film: "Krisha" (2015)

Shults broke out in the horror genre with "Krisha" and followed it up with "It Comes At Night," a creepy, claustrophobic thriller. We don't know what his next movie will be, but hopefully we find out soon.

Most recent film: "Split" (2016)

Next film: "Glass" (2019)

First horror film: "The Sixth Sense" (1999)

Shyamalan became a joke a few years back after a series of duds. But the filmmaker has had a comeback recently with back-to-back horror hits "The Visit" and "Split." His win streak might continue in January, when he'll finally unveil his long-awaited "Unbreakable" follow-up, "Glass," starring Samuel L. Jackson and Bruce Willis.

Most recent film: "The Conjuring 2" (2016)

Next film: "Aquaman" (2018)

First horror film: "Saw" (2004)

Wan may be dipping into the world of blockbusters recently with "Furious 7" and this year's "Aquaman," but his last film was "The Conjuring 2," the follow-up to his hit horror film that kick-started a franchise that includes the "Annabelle" movies and the upcoming "The Nun." Before that, he made a name for himself in horror with "Saw" and "Insidious." After "Aquaman," he'll step into the world of Stephen King for an adaptation of his novel "The Tommyknockers."