Listed here are the top 50 directors ever, according to my calculations. I intend to keep the list indefinitely updated, biannually. As a constantly moving list, it is beholden to audience opinion and critical discourse. I believe it will be interesting to watch the slow tectonic movements of cinema’s canon.

In the long term, I will expand this list to around 250 first, then to the top 400 directors. Around 400 directors can be ranked before the list becomes too dominated by one-off filmmakers, who make one gem, followed by many duds.

In This List

In this list, which descends towards the greatest director ever (Shock, who could that be?), I’ve compiled details on each director. The links on each director’s name will take you to a page that briefly describes each director, covering their themes, impact and rationale for their appearance on the list. I also note the films which contributed to the director’s placement and some similar directors, who you might enjoy if you enjoy theirs.

Below, I have a section on the top 10 films of each director. If a director only made seven films, you’ll see a ranking of just seven. Each film has a few recommended movies attached to it for you to peruse or use to determine if a film sounds interesting to you.

In the future, once a top 250, at least, is up, I plan to add other elements, such as an overview of filmography, directors influenced, and director’s favourite films, among others.

Suppose you happen upon this and have a thought. Leave a comment. It might seem boringly routine, but I would like to see people’s opinions on the rankings. If they find any odd, I do, if they are happy to see a director’s fall. Whatever. 

The 50 Greatest Directors Ever