Top 10 Best Movie Directors of All Time

The "Emperor" of Japanese cinema created Seven Samurai, Rashomon, and Ikiru — films that influenced virtually every major director who followed him.

The "Master of Suspense" crafted Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, and North by Northwest — films that defined psychological thriller filmmaking.

From Taxi Driver to Goodfellas to The Irishman, Scorsese has produced an unparalleled body of morally complex American cinema across 50 years.

The Swedish master's explorations of faith, death, and the human condition in films like The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries define art cinema.

The most commercially successful director ever also made Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan — combining populist reach with artistic ambition.

Coppola directed The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now — three of the most acclaimed films in American cinema history.

The Italian master's 8½ and La Dolce Vita invented a new cinematic language of memory, desire, and autobiography that still influences filmmakers today.

Co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki's animated films — from Spirited Away to Princess Mononoke — are among the most beloved and acclaimed in cinema history.

From Memento to Oppenheimer, Nolan has redefined the intellectual blockbuster and won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director for Oppenheimer.

The "Emperor" of Japanese cinema created Seven Samurai, Rashomon, and Ikiru — films that influenced virtually every major director who followed him.

The "Master of Suspense" crafted Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window, and North by Northwest — films that defined psychological thriller filmmaking.

From Taxi Driver to Goodfellas to The Irishman, Scorsese has produced an unparalleled body of morally complex American cinema across 50 years.

The Swedish master's explorations of faith, death, and the human condition in films like The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries define art cinema.

The most commercially successful director ever also made Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan — combining populist reach with artistic ambition.

Coppola directed The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and Apocalypse Now — three of the most acclaimed films in American cinema history.

The Italian master's 8½ and La Dolce Vita invented a new cinematic language of memory, desire, and autobiography that still influences filmmakers today.

Co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki's animated films — from Spirited Away to Princess Mononoke — are among the most beloved and acclaimed in cinema history.

From Memento to Oppenheimer, Nolan has redefined the intellectual blockbuster and won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director for Oppenheimer.