As horror is a genre that is constantly changing and evolving, it's only natural that every now and then a new generation of horror filmmakers emerge to put their own spin on the genre. Within the last couple of years, it's clear that there are a wide number of new talents taking on horror cinema and making it into something new and unique, leaving us with refreshing horror films that help to revitalise the genre itself. The following ten filmmakers have proven that they have the ability to breathe new life into the horror genre and inject it with their own unique senses of style and storytelling. Most of them only have one or two titles to their name so far, but even with those they have already left a lasting impact, proving that they are forces to be reckoned with. One thing is certain however, I can't wait to see what they all do next.
10. Mike Flanagan
Known For: Oculus, Ouija: Origin of Evil, Hush, Gerald's Game.
I'll begin with Mike Flanagan as he already has six feature-length horror films under his belt, beginning with 2011's Absentia. Flanagan has shown that he has a unique imagination as seen with films such as Oculus and more recently, Hush. He is able to take familiar tropes such as a haunted mirror or a home invasion, only to turn them on their heads to offer us something truly unique. Hush was a particularly effective horror-thriller, following a deaf protagonist who fights for survival against a homicidal home invader. Last year Flanagan gained a much wider acclaim for his Netflix adaptation of Stephen King's Gerald's Game, which was rightfully lauded by critics for Flanagan's ability to translate the source material to the screen while creating an unnerving sense of tension himself.
Flanagan's next project will be another King adaptation, Doctor Sleep, which most of you will probably recognise as King's sequel to his earlier novel The Shining. If anyone has the ability to tackle a follow-up to such a well-known piece of work, it's Flanagan.
9. S. Craig Zahler
Known For: Bone Tomahawk, Brawl in Cell Block 99.
If you're looking for a rising filmmaker with a penchant for gore, then S. Craig Zahler is your man. The filmmaker first gained notice with his slow-burning horror western Bone Tomahawk back in 2015. If you've seen the film then you'll understand the way in which Zahler utilises gore, and if you haven't then go watch it now. After the great torture porn phase of the 2000's with the likes of Saw and Hostel, it seemed like people were quickly becoming more and more de-sensitised to gore, but Zahler uses it in such a raw and realistic manner, that you can't help but just sit there and cringe in terror.
While his last film Brawl in Cell Block 99 and his next project Dragged Across Concrete both depart from the horror genre, Zahler has in fact penned the script for the upcoming Puppet Master reboot subtitled "The Littlest Reich. We can expect plenty of grizzly gore from that, and hopefully from future Zahler projects as well.
8. Patrick Brice
Known For: Creep, Creep 2.
If you've seen either of the Creep films then you'll know why Brice had to be on this list. The American actor and filmmaker gave a breath of fresh air to the found footage genre back in 2014 with the first Creep film, taking a very simple concept and developing it into one of the most unsettling and darkly-comical horror films of the decade. He returned yet again last year, with leading man Mark Duplass, for a follow up to Creep that took an almost meta-approach to tits predecessor รก la Evil Dead 2. Brice's low-budget style and simple setup gave a unique edge to both Creep films and a made for a highly unique entry into the overstuffed found-footage subgenre. It's the closest thing we have to a modern Blair Witch Project.
While Brice has promised that a third installment will eventually round off the Creep trilogy, his next project is a comedy-horror film entitled Corporate Animals, written by Peep Show's Sam Bain. Now that's a collaboration I cannot wait to see.
7. David Robert Mitchell
Known For: It Follows.
David Robert Mitchell is the man behind one of 2014's most beloved horror films It Follows. Praised for its original concept and 80's aesthetic that even pre-dated Stranger Things, It Follows became an instant classic and has left us hungry for more from Mitchell. Taking inspiration from horror giants such as John Carpenter, Mitchell has proven his ability to create nailbiting suspense with It Follows as well as displaying a unique imagination and knowledge of the mechanics of horror cinema. In a world full of jump-scare-heavy horrors, Mitchell took an alternate route and went heavy on the suspense instead, a bold move for an indie horror at the time, but a risk that was definitely worth taking.
David Robert Mitchell's next film will not be a horror film, but instead a neo-noir black-comedy entitled Under the Silver Lake. The trailer shows echoes of the likes of David Lynch while assuring us that it will retain Mitchell's unique style evident in It Follows. Rest assured, he's bound to gift us with another horror film eventually.
6. Ari Aster
Known For: Hereditary.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past half year, you may have heard of a little horror film entitled Hereditary. This nerve-racking suspense horror is the debut feature from Ari Aster, and a promising one at that. Aster began his career with several short films (which I still have yet to watch I'm ashamed to say) and managed to gain significant attention at Sundance after the first screening of Hereditary, due to claims that it was the scariest film of the year. Well, the year isn't quite over yet but it's safe to say that Aster's feature debut is the most frightening film of the year so far. Beginning with a slow build up and culminating in a highly disturbing catharsis of terror, Ari Aster deserves all the acclaim he's gotten for Hereditary and is sure to go on to a successful career in the horror genre.
Looks like Aster and A24 will be joining forces once again with a new horror film entitled Midsommer. No, it's not a feature-length Midsommer Murders film (unfortunately), but instead it will follow a grieving young woman who joins her friends and boyfriend on a trip to Sweden where things take a dark turn. Not much else is known about the project yet, but Aster expects to start shooting soon so keep your eyes peeled!
5. Corin Hardy
Known For: The Hallow.
English filmmaker and hat aficionado Corin Hardy gained something of a cult following after his feature-length debut The Hallow back in 2015. The Hallow was a sort of hybrid between folk horror and creature features, and made wonderful use of practical effects and suspense. Hardy proved himself to be a filmmaker with a unique passion for the genre and an imagination not unlike that of a young Guillermo Del Toro, particularly in terms of creature design. For years Hardy had been committed to remaking The Crow as well, and for a while it looked like it was going forward with Jason Momoa in the titular role. However, the project has unfortunately since fell through, although Hardy remains optimistic that it could eventually happen some day.
While The Crow might be staying buried for the foreseeable future, Hardy will return to our screens this September with Conjuring spin-off The Nun. The film will of course be about the demonic nun Valak (Bonnie Aarons), and will be set in a secluded monastery in Romania, already sounds spooky enough as it is. Expect memorable visuals and plenty of homages to classic horror from Hardy, who has claimed that it is inspired by both Hammer horror films, and the films of Mario Bava. Just keeps sounding better and better.
4. Julia Ducournau
Known For: Raw.
Last year, Raw was the horror film that all the critics were raving about, in the same manner they did this year with Hereditary. Much like Hereditary, the hype for Raw was all too deserved. Ducournau managed to craft a horror film that was both stylish and compelling, as well as having the ability to make your stomach well and truly turn. Her sporadic, but graphic use of gore proved extremely effective, and even supposedly caused people to vomit, pass out, and all the other usual hype-stuff. However with Raw, you come for the gore but stay for the well-crafted story and engaging characters. Using cannibalism as a metaphor, Ducournau put her own macabre spin on the female-driven coming of age story, and the payoff is nothing less than spectacular.
At the moment there is no word of a new film from Julia Ducournau, but that doesn't mean we can't wait in anticipation for her next project regardless. When the time does eventually come, it will no doubt be worth the wait.
3. Robert Eggers
Known For: The Witch.
Not a day goes by where I don't anticipate news of a new Robert Eggers project. His feature-length debut The Witch blew myself and many others away and has cemented itself as one of the scariest films of the decade. Like many of the filmmakers on this list, Eggers favours tension over explicit scares, and uses a combination of sound and visuals to create this extremely unnerving sense of dread. The Witch was a fine example of how Eggers could accomplish a lot without trying too hard, and gained him immense acclaim worldwide from both critics and horror fans.
So what's next for Mr. Eggers then? His upcoming project entitled The Lighthouse is set to be a black and white horror film with Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson in the lead roles. There's not much details about it, but we can expect another moody and unsettling outing from Eggers this time around. On top of that, Eggers supposedly plans to follow that up with a remake of Nosferatu as well, now that sounds like it could be something really special.
2. Jennifer Kent
Known For: The Babadook.
The woman behind one of the greatest horror films (and gay icons) of the decade, Jennifer Kent is the Australian filmmaker who gave us The Babadook. Not only was Kent able to craft a well-paced and truly spine-chilling exercise in suspense, but she also gave us a horror film that was both clever and mature as well. This was before the likes of It Follows came out, so Kent took a massive risk with something like The Babadook, but thankfully it all paid off. In a world that is in dire need of more female filmmakers, Kent stands strong following her feature debut and has proven herself to be highly talented in her craft.
Kent's name has been attached to several projects in the pipeline since The Babadook, but it appears that her next film will be a gothic revenge thriller entitled The Nightingale. While it may not be in the same vein as her feature debut, Kent has shown us her talent for mood and suspense so here's hoping that will translate yet again in The Nightingale.
1. Jordan Peele
Known For: Get Out.
If anyone has conquered the horror landscape in recent years however, it's Jordan Peele. Ever since his directorial debut Get Out was released last year, the comedian turned filmmaker has gained universal acclaim and even received an Academy Award for best original screenplay, which is uncommon for a horror film. Sharp, suspenseful, and politically relevant, Get Out was a well-needed social commentary on America's post-racial myth and has since become a cult phenomenon all of its own. Peele has proven that not only does he know how to craft an effective horror film, but that he is also able to get a powerful message across simultaneously. Horror has always been a subversive genre, and Peele uses that completely to his advantage.
Since the success of Get Out, Peele has been a very busy man. Not only will he produce a horror series entitled Lovecraft Country for HBO, but he will also write and direct a new film entitled Us set to be released next year. Lupita Nyong'o and Winston Duke are already confirmed to star, while Elizabeth Moss is being eyed for another lead role. This is just the beginning of what looks like a long and successful career for Peele in the horror genre.
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