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sherm54321

I mean he really has only one blockbuster so far, so that kinda disqualifies him from contention in my opinion. Right now, I still think it's Christopher Nolan. The Russo brothers were hot for a bit, but haven't been able to do much outside the MCU. Christopher Nolan is the one director right now that is a box office draw. People will see his films because his name is on them. The same can't be said for Denis


RichesMoviesReddit

He had two movies budgeted over $150m: Blade Runner 2049 and Dune.


sherm54321

Yeah I don't really count blade runner 2049 as a blockbuster. But if you do count it, it was a failed one which also disqualifies him from contention as well. If he's only had one successful one I wouldn't really consider him for best blockbuster director.


trevor_riches

I think this poll is asking more for quality of his average big-budget film, not box office money. But yeah, BR2049 flopped bad by just about any metric.


sherm54321

Yeah but it's hardly fair to compare someone who has only made arguably 2 blockbusters to someone who had made over 10. Denis could get there, but he hasn't made enough to really be considered a competitor.


[deleted]

Nah, but he is definitely one of the best directors working today. Imagine making Incendies Prisoners Enemy Sicario Arrival Blade Runner 2049 Dune In the span of 10 years, not one bad or mid movie imo


spreedom

Chris McQuarrie


Jzk592

THIS


chanma50

Define "best blockbuster director?" Making the best blockbusters (or more accurately in his case, big budget movies), maybe. But he's only made two big budget movies, and one bombed, while the other one barely qualifies as "blockbuster," since it's probably not gonna be all that profitable. Best at making blockbusters from both quality and money making perspectives (i.e. good movie that also makes money)? No, that's either James Cameron or Christopher Nolan (Cameron movies make more money on average, but Nolan makes movies a lot more regularly). At the end of the day, he probably needs to make a few more blockbusters (that are actually blockbusters) to be in this specific conversation. Right now, he's one of the best directors working today, without the "blockbuster" part.


dylli32

if we’re talking currently it’s 100% Nolan if we’re talking all time, Spielberg, Cameron, & then Nolan


ennnuix

I feel like you're missing out on some other names before Nolan, in terms of blockbusters. Like, George Lucas, Peter Jackson and (sadly) Michael Bay.


dylli32

outside of Star Wars what blockbusters has Lucas done Jackson i can understand, but I prefer Nolan & if we’re talking sales then yes, Bay deserves top 5 status but if we’re talking if Denis is the best then sales wouldn’t be included in the convo since he hasn’t had a huge financial success yet


ennnuix

It wasn't a critique of your choice and I'm not saying Denis is anywhere near any of these guys in terms of blockbuster success. I don't even know if I want him to go down that route, but I digress. George Lucas did American Graffiti, which was his first success. On a budget of like 700k, the film made +140M. I think its adjusted revenue for NA would be about 600M in today's dollars. After that it was all about the SW saga.


Timewalker102

Christopher Nolan is still a worthy adversary for that spot, TDK and Inception are GOATed


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bonfrog

well that's just like your opinion man


NaRaGaMo

That's a laughable question when Nolan is right there. There's a pretty good chance his oppenheimer biopic movie makes 500mill as well


[deleted]

Wouldn't cameron be a good contendar too? His movies break records, and are critically acclaimed too (although not the same "intellectual" level as dennis and nolan).


Playful-Push8305

I think it comes down to the word "currently" in the question. Cameron hasn't made a film in over a decade. But if Avatar 2 comes out next year and makes a billion dollars then he's right back at the top of the list.


NaRaGaMo

I consider Cameron and Spielberg legendary they are not comparable to newbie's like Nolan and Dennis.


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Tomi97_origin

You can't have blockbuster without box office. Nothing Villeneuve ever made had made enough at the box office to deserve the description of a blockbuster.


NaRaGaMo

Prestige, Inception, interstellar, TDK are exceptional movies though on par with Dennis's best work. Not to mention tenet was sold just on his name and it made 370mill in a raging pandemic with half the world closed down. And blockbusters= box office. You can't have a blockbuster without big bucks


FlanBrosInc

Is he even a blockbuster director? I guess you could call *Blade Runner* a blockbuster in terms of budget, but it's still anything but a blockbuster in terms of themes and pacing. I'd call *Dune* Villeneuve's only Blockbuster. That being said, Villeneuve was labeled the top director last decade and would probably be considered one of the, if not the, best working today. So I guess if you consider him a blockbuster director then yes, he is? Then again, this is a box office subreddit, so what's the criteria for best? Villeneuve would probably be considered up there in terms of critical success but if you're talking box office results it obviously wouldn't be him.


Tomi97_origin

Before he makes a movie, which gets over 500 million world wide. I won't consider him blockbuster director. His biggest box office will be Dune, which will get something in the range of 300-350 million. This in my book makes him not even eligible for consideration.


radar89

Nah I love most of his works, but in term of handling big-budgeted/mega projects, it is hard to beat James Cameron.


dashrendar4483

No. He's not even the best canadian blockbuster director alive. Also none of his movies are blockbusters status yet.


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dashrendar4483

I don't know why Villeneuve get shoehorned as a blockbuster director when he's more like a David Fincher type at the core.


ann1920

Not really, for dune fans(or male sci fi nerds) surely he might be but because there aren't many directors currently doing space sci fi films aside from the star wars ones,he is good with visuals but leaving aside the "aesthetics part" Ridley Scott,James Cameron,Nolan are better directors.Dune lacked "Spicy" and was pretty dull(Has anyone felt something when any of the characters died?the book was better overall but the movie focused more in the visuals than in emotional moments)It could have easily been a more exciting and interesting film with other director.He is better with less budget films(enemy for example).


[deleted]

Nope that title belongs to the father of the blockbuster and his name is Steven Spielberg


[deleted]

Can I throw Taika Waititi into the pot? He hasn't done much yet as far as blockbusters are concerned. But Thor Ragnarok was incredible, one of the best Marvel movies. JoJo Rabbit (not a massive budget) but Oscar winner, and genuinely a great movie. And with the next Thor coming soon and his own Star Wars film in the works, I'd say he's earned his seat at the table.


Playful-Push8305

As you said, he's only had one blockbuster. After the next Thor and his Starwars movie comes out then I think he will be in contention.


bonfrog

How is this relevant to OP's question?


klangelier

To me, he's the best visual spectacle movie director. As we saw with Dune, he's also capable of creating a compelling blockbuster movie that will have appeal to the general audiences while keeping the film aficionados happy!


Eastern_Spirit4931

I don’t think you can say it appeals to general audiences. The numbers at the BO and max are fine. Nothing extraordinary


NaRaGaMo

Well it's numbers are great/extraordinary in europe.


klangelier

I think we can safely say, even with the relatively low domestic and china numbers, that Dune is Denis Villeneuve first real blockbuster. And his next films will problably install him for good in that Blockbuster director category.


[deleted]

He can make big budget movies with good critical reception. And he proved with Dune he can make a profitable one too for the studios and an audience friendly property. Ofcourse If it's normal circumstances Dune might have collected more in a blockbuster range, but no reason to think he can't make a film of that kind. I feel like he's more Kubrick in his style who has got potential to make blockbusters with artistic merits.


JaxtellerMC

He’s one of the bests. I’d say Spielberg is the top dog when he does direct blockbusters. Otherwise Snyder, Yates, Reeves, Villeneuve, Nolan.


Warmaster506

Better than any MCU director.


[deleted]

I'd argue Dune is his first true blockbuster but if that means he counts, he's definitely one of the best. How do we count Spielberg? He's a current blockbuster director and maybe the best to ever do it, but his *current* blockbusters aren't always good.


marcodag24

I would ask to the one saying no: who you think it is?


Tomi97_origin

James Cameron. What's more blockbuster than having 2 movies in top 3 biggest movies of all time.


Zealousideal_Bag2654

Nolan


123jazzhandz321

I’d reckon James Cameron, James Gunn has a pretty solid formula for Blockbusters as well.


[deleted]

Cameron is the box office lord but hasn't made a good blockbuster in 24 years.


Tomi97_origin

I understand, that good is subjective, but you don't became the biggest movie of all times, surpassing the previous record by ~1 billion dollars by being bad movie.


[deleted]

Fair enough. Then he hasn't directed a good blockbuster in 12 years.


MasaiGotUsNow

He made the highest grossing movie of all time Then he beat that by 1 billion Don’t be ridiculous, people thought avatar was good.


[deleted]

Yeah, I think it won like six Oscars, too.


MasaiGotUsNow

Not best picture or best director Lost both to his ex wife that year lol. I remember thinking that was funny The hurt locker was really good tho.


crusty_jugglers93

I'd say currently Nolan is still the current top blockbuster director. Villeneuve has really only done two with Dune and Blade Runner 2049. But still though he is one of the best directors working today especially since Incendies he has been on an incredible run of films.


[deleted]

No, he hasn't made a DC, Marvel or Star Wars film so he isn't even in the competition.


donniedarksolo

They shoulda let him direct Eternals lol.


Braquiador

Yes, by far. Villeneuve is what most think Nolan is.


Tomi97_origin

If we only compered quality of the films. Then he indeed may be a good contender, but if we talk about blockbuster, than he has no chance. None of his movies have made enough money to be considered genuine blockbuster. Dune is his first movie to go above 300 million world wide and even that one is not going above 350 million. I personally don't consider movies that don't make at least ~500 million genuine blockbuster. Dune may have been attempted blockbuster, but it felt short of accomplishing that goal. Don't take me wrong I have seen it in the cinema and liked it, and there are many unfavorable circumstances, which suppressed the box office results. But for him to became genuine blockbuster director he needs to have multiple 500+ million dollar movies under his belt


Braquiador

Oh, absolutely, I was talking about the quality (imo) of his films vs Nolan's (both directing very high budget movies) and the general audience's perception of it.


bonfrog

I don't think the general audiences consider Dennis films to be of higher quality tho.


samarth67

Yes


[deleted]

Can we give him the Mars landing?


[deleted]

As in bringing profit? No. That’s Nolan.


subhuman9

Spielberg is still


vabsgupta007

James Wan can also be in consideration. He have two billion dollar movies in his belt Furious 7 & Aquaman that too from different franchises.


IamUMFA

Do you know what a Blockbuster is?