On October 30 2012, George Lucas – one of the most powerful and influential sci-fi/fantasy filmmakers of all-time – signed away his life’s work to the Walt Disney Corporation and rode off into the golden sunset of Marin County, California to enjoy his well-earned retirement. Lucas, along with his contemporaries Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Jim Henson, and James Cameron, transported an entire generation of proto-geeks to worlds beyond their imagination in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.
They were the forefathers of the mighty geek culture media empire that we are now in the midst of today – a shining Xanadu, resplendent with budget-shattering superhero blockbusters from the Marvel and DC Universes; epic fantasy sagas adapted from literature such as Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games; and dazzling science-fiction spectacles like the resurrected Star Trek series and Pacific Rim. But who are the faces behind this current nerd nirvana? Lucas has departed for greener pastures, but are there any holdovers from his era driving numbers at the box office, or is all this awesomeness the work of a new generation of young turks who grew up on phasers and Wookies? Well, let’s find out; here’s a look at the TOP TEN CURRENT MOST POWERFUL AND INFLUENTIAL GEEK CULTURE FILMMAKERS:
10.) GUILLERMO DEL TORO
What’s on the resume?
Del Toro has directing, producing, and writing credits on: Cronos, The Devil’s Backbone, Mimic, Blade II, Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Mama, The Hobbit films, Pacific Rim
Why is he on the list?
Del Toro barely squeaks onto this list in the number ten spot, and the box office performance and fan reception of his giant monsters vs. giant robots epic Pacific Rim is going to determine whether or not the jovial Mexican creator can remain here for long. Although his films have scored very well with hardcore geek audiences, he has yet to parlay that niche loyalty into massive success with a mainstream summer or Christmas movie audience. Things might have been different for Del Toro (he’d probably be even higher up on this list) if he hadn’t hopped out of the director’s chair on The Hobbit films, which he co-wrote and which were well into the pre-production phase; but hopefully the talented auteur can rebound from that setback and the unfortunate shelving of his ambitious H.P. Lovecraft adaptation, At the Mountains of Madness.
What’s next?
After Pacific Rim, Del Toro is directing Crimson Peak, a “gothic horror romance” with the red-hot Benedict Cumberbatch and Jessica Chastain. He’s also well into development on an Incredible Hulk TV series for Marvel Studios, and he will direct and produce a film based on supernatural-themed DC Comics characters titled Dark Universe.
9.) SAM RAIMI
What’s on the resume?
The Evil Dead trilogy, Darkman, The Quick & The Dead, A Simple Plan, The Gift, The Spider-man Trilogy, Drag Me To Hell, Oz: The Great & Powerful
Why is he on the list?
Wild man Sam Raimi made a name for himself in the ’80s and ’90s with his manic, innovative camera moves and unique DIY-style on films like the beloved Evil Dead series and the original superhero concept Darkman with Liam Neeson. Raimi never had huge budgets to work with, so he had to rely on creativity and instinct, and that all paid off for him in 2001 when he was offered the directing gig of a lifetime – the first big-budget film adaptation of Marvel Comics icon Spider-man.
Despite some casting missteps and some unnecessary changes to the comic book canon, Raimi knocked it out of the park, delivering two phenomenal superhero blockbusters (and one not-so-phenomenal one), which were instrumental to the massive popularity and box-office dominance of current comic book properties like The Avengers and Man of Steel. After Spider-man, Raimi remained active in the geek film world, crafting a nasty bit of work known as Drag Me to Hell, and most recently he’s planted himself firmly back in monster-budget spectacle territory with the hugely successful Oz: The Great & Powerful.
What’s Next?
Aside from the obligatory Oz sequel, Raimi is producing a film called Murder of a Cat, as well as a remake of the 1982 horror classic Poltergeist.
8.) MICHAEL BAY
What’s on his resume?
Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, The Rock, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, The Island, The Transformers films, Pain & Gain
Why is he on the list?
It pains me to have to put this egomaniac’s name on this list, but the facts are undeniable: Bay is one of the most powerful and sought-after action directors in the world today. I don’t have to sit here and explain to you how immensely popular his boobs and explosion-laden Transformers adaptations are, and if his controversial reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise (Shredder is a middle-aged white dude? The Turtles are aliens? Megan Fox as April O’ Neill?) is another hit with the fans and at the box office, his brand of juvenile, testosterone-fueled bombast will be around until he runs out of bronzer and hair volumizer. (so, not for a really long fucking time.)
What’s next?
Aside from producing duties on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bay is about to shoot Transformers 4 with Mark Wahlberg. God help us.
7.) ZACK SNYDER
What’s on the resume?
Dawn of the Dead (remake), 300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch, Man of Steel
Why is he on the list?
Since his effective reboot of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, and his stylish, brutal adaptation of Frank Miller’s swords-and-sandals epic 300, Zack Snyder has been regarded as a visually dynamic, but narratively bereft action director. Things didn’t improve on that front as Snyder was both applauded for translating Alan Moore’s dense, deconstructionist opus Watchmen to the screen, and lambasted for failing to inject the lavish images with any of the book’s meaning. His follow-up, the original fantasy film Sucker Punch, was savaged by critics and ignored at the box office. But now that Snyder – along with Christopher Nolan and David Goyer - has succeeded in making Superman “edgy” and “cool” with modern movie audiences, it’s hard to ignore the cache he now possesses. And when you put Man of Steel next to the dazzling visuals on his oeuvre, he’s now a major power player in the geek culture universe.
What’s next?
Snyder is going to be surrounded by capes and tights for years to come. Man of Steel 2 has already been fast-tracked, and he will likely direct the Justice League film after that.
6.) CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
What’s on the resume?
Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Inception, Man of Steel
Why is he here?
Out of the ten filmmakers listed here, Christopher Nolan might have the most loyal and rabid following. Nolan fans, dubbed “Nolanites” by many geek culture writers, are like a cult; they will follow the enigmatic director in whichever creative direction he goes and will fiercely (and blindly) defend his films to anyone who dares speak a negative word about them. Nolan’s “grim and gritty, real world” aesthetic – which he infused into his three wildly popular Batman films – is what cemented his loyal following, and he carried that good will (along with that darkness) over to his other original projects like the mind-bending Inception. Of course, Nolan is riding high right now with his work producing and co-writing Man of Steel along with writer David Goyer and director Zack Snyder. Although he won’t be heavily involved with the sequel (or any of the DC superhero films like the much-anticipated Justive League), he will likely maintain his slavish following and continue to drive box office numbers with his name alone.
What’s next?
Nolan is directing the time travel epic, Interstellar.
5.) STEVEN SPIELBERG
What’s on the resume?
You’re kidding, right? Here, read this. Done? Let’s move on…
Why is he here?
Well, I don’t think I can get away with just saying, “Because he’s Steven Spielberg, and because fuck you, that’s why,” even though that pretty much sums it up. Suffice to say that Spielberg is one of the greatest directors/producers/creative visionaries of all-time, and though he hasn’t directed a huge geek blockbuster in a while, he is still at the forefront of genre media and filmmaking, whether it’s collaborating with JJ Abrams on Super 8, or Peter Jackson on the beautifully-animated Tintin, or producing the upcoming Microsoft -exclusive HALO television series. Our current embarrassment of geek riches owes a lot to Spielberg’s influence, and continues to be shaped and expanded by the dude.
What’s next?
The aforementioned HALO series, producing duties on a number of other genre projects such as Fallen Skies and the sequel to Tintin. Steven is also directing a film called American Sniper and may direct a fifth and final Indiana Jones picture. (Don’t hold your breath.)
4.) PETER JACKSON
What’s on the resume?
Bad Taste, Brain Dead (Dead Alive), Meet The Feebles, Heavenly Creatures, The Frighteners, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong (2005), The Hobbit trilogy
Why is he on the list?
Damn, that is some impressive resume, isn’t it? Kiwi writer/director/producer/sometimes bad actor Peter Jackson rose up from independent gore cinema in New Zealand, to fame, riches, and worldwide adulation as a result of his Lord of the Rings saga – a monumental achievement in blockbuster fantasy filmmaking. Jackson utilized the beautiful scenery of his native country to capture the breathtaking vistas described in Professor Tolkien’s tome, and he continues to do so in his somewhat controversial and polarizing Hobbit trilogy.
The first film in the Lord of the Rings prequel grossed an impressive $700 million worldwide, but Tolkien fans were irked when PJ decided to cash in and split the slim children’s novella into into three separate three-hour epics, padded out with material from the appendices in Lord of the Rings and original sequences concocted by Jackson and his writing partners. Critics and audiences alike were also equally repulsed and awed by PJ’s newly-developed “48 frames-per-second” 3D presentation, which gave the film a super-sharp, hyper-realistic appearance, which made it look herky jerky and cheap to some. (I likened it to watching a live BBC teleplay). Despite the frame-rate hullaballoo and the bloated run times of the films, the next two chapters in the trilogy should perform just as well – if not better - than An Unexpected Journey (especially with the appearance of Smaug the dragon), and with these six epic fantasy films under his belt, Peter Jackson isn’t going to have any trouble being a major player in the geek community for decades to come.
What’s Next?
Wrapping up the Hobbit sequels, then directing the sequel to Tintin.
3.) JAMES CAMERON
What’s on the resume?
Terminator, Aliens, T2: Judgment Day, The Abyss, Titanic, Avatar, just to name a few…
Why is he on the list?
At first glance, you may question why James Cameron is even on this list, much less so high up, but you have to take into account that the man is responsible for not only the highest-grossing film of the past ten years, but the highest-grossing movie EVER MADE. Say what you will about the plot and characters of Avatar (and trust me, I could say a lot *cough* Pocahontas in space *cough* unobtanium *cough* Sam Worthington *cough*), but there is no denying the power and spectacle of the revolutionary 3D image Cameron brought to the cinema in 2009.
Cameron is always at the forefront of filmmaking technology, constantly pushing the envelope to get clearer and more fantastic special effects on the screen. Like Peter Jackson, Cameron is also pursuing high frame rate cinematography, but he wants to go even fast than Jackson – a 60fps 3D image. Whether he succeeds or not, James Cameron’s continued pursuit of bigger and more fantastical visuals – not to mention the Avatar sequels – will have a tremendous impact on geek cinema.
What’s next?
The Avatar sequels, rumored to be filmed back to back on Cameron’s private lakefront property in New Zealand.
2.) JJ ABRAMS
What’s on the resume?
Television: Alias, LOST, Revolution, Fringe.
Film: Mission Impossible III, Star Trek, Super 8, Star Trek Into Darkness
Why is he on the list?
In 1990, JJ (then “Jeffrey”) Abrams was writing the schmaltzy Harrison Ford flick Regarding Henry. 23 years later, he is arguably the most talented action director in the industry, the head of one of the most successful production companies on the planet (Bad Robot), and he is about to take command of the greatest sci-fi/fantasy movie property that mankind has ever known – the Star Wars saga.
How much power and influence does JJ Abrams have at the moment? A lot. He revolutionized hour-long telvision drama in 2004 by creating LOST, spawning an entire lineup of shameless imitators; he single-handedly resurrected the barely-breathing and all but forgotten Star Trek franchise with his colorful and fast-paced 2009 movie reboot, then followed it up with a darker, and even more action-packed sequel this year; and Kathleen Kennedy practically got on her hands and knees and begged him to sit in the Star Wars Episode VII director’s chair.
Abrams is often riduculed for his over-use of lens flares, and an annoying penchant for keeping things mysterious for no good reason, but the bottom line is this – the guy can deliver heart-pounding, adrenaline-pumping, edge-of-your-seat, sci-fi action spectacle like nobody else right now, and that’s why he was given the keys to the biggest and most glorious kingdom in the geek universe. The top two spots on this list really could’ve gone either way, but until we see JJ’s work on Star Wars Episode VII, he’s going to have to sit in the passenger seat…for now…
What’s next?
Star Wars: Episode VII, duh.
1.) Joss Whedon
What’s on the resume?
TV: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
Film: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Alien Resurrection, Toy Story, Serenity, The Avengers, Much Ado About Nothing
Why is he on the list?
So what’s it like to be the King of the Geeks? Well, you’d have to ask Joss Whedon, and he’d probably say, “really fucking busy.” Can you imagine this guy’s workload over the course of the last two years? Let’s just examine it for a second – After doing some script doctor work on Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger for Marvel, he wrote and directed the greatest superhero movie ever made (it’s also the third highest-grossing movie of all-time), The Avengers.
Once that was finished, did he take a vacation? Nope. He directed an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing at his house over the course of two weeks. Shortly after that, he inked a contract that made him “creative overseer” of the world’s most popular and profitable film franchise – the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That deal made him responsible for writing and directing the pilot of a S.H.I.E.L.D. television series (set to air on ABC in Fall 2013), more script doctor work on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy, and writing and directing Avengers 2, which has a legitimate shot to become the highest-grossing movie in the history of well…everything.
Yep, it’s good to be the king. Fans may give him crap for killing off beloved characters in various horrible ways, and critics may blast him for his dialogue being too cutesy, snarky, or “affected,” but the good will generated by The Avengers, and the legions of Browncoats and Buffy fans who swear by Joss’s intelligent, funny, exciting, and emotional storytelling keeps him on the throne for the forseeable future.
What’s next?
Avengers 2, world domination.