Summary
A-list movie directors sometimes take time out from their regular careers to create TV shows, many of which have scooped several awards. The advent of streaming has attracted more movie directors to TV than ever before, especially since streaming platforms often offer unrestricted creative freedom. This results in some bold TV shows that reflect a director’s style.
Sometimes, a TV show starts life as an idea for a movie, but the director reconsiders this after working on it further. Not too long ago, movie directors would rarely consider making a TV show, but there is now more money and prestige associated with TV. Some of the most famous directors in Hollywood have taken time away from the big screen, including Steven Spielberg, David Fincher and the Wachowski sisters.
10 Movie Directors Who Became Their Own Franchise
Most moviegoers look for recognizable actors or big franchises, but some directors can drive box office numbers as much as any other factor.
Baz Luhrmann is known for his stylish movies, andThe Get Downbrings his lavish, excessive swagger to the small screen.The Get Downstars Justice Smith as the leader of a group trying to make an impact in New York City’s vibrant music scene in the 1970s, just when disco culture and hip-hop music are taking shape. The show presents a wonderfully detailed portrait of the time and place.
Like many of Baz Luhrmann’s most popular movies,The Get Downhas a fun, party-like atmosphere that’s easy to get lost in.
Like many of Baz Luhrmann’s most popular movies,The Get Downhas a fun, party-like atmosphere that’s easy to get lost in. There are plenty of gorgeous musical numbers and loving 1970s details, like the fashion and the language of the time. However,The Get Downdoesn’t shy away from showing some of the tough realities of inner city life in the 1970s. Sadly,The Get Downwas canceled by Netflix after just one season.
BeforeEdgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy, the British director developed his skills with the single-camera sitcomSpaced.Wright directed all 12 episodes ofSpaced,and his flair for visual comedy, complete with whip pans and crash zooms, helps make the show what it is.Spacedalso features two of Wright’s greatest collaborators, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The comedy duo later teamed up with Wright forHot Fuzz, Shaun of the DeadandThe World’s End.
Spaceddoesn’t just show off Wright’s idiosyncratic directing style. It also provides some insight into his pop-culture-obsessed mind.
Spaceddoesn’t just show off Wright’s idiosyncratic directing style. It also provides some insight into his pop-culture-obsessed mind. Each of his movies are genre parodies in some way, and they draw heavily from a wide variety of sources.Spacedis just as consumed by other media, and there are countless references to movies, TV shows and comic books sprinkled throughout the dialogue.
After revolutionizing the war genre with 1998’sSaving Private Ryan,Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks continued their examination of World War II with the HBO miniseriesBand of Brothers.The series is just as intense and dramatic, and it has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the most influential miniseries of all time. Thanks to an outstanding ensemble cast,Band of Brothersis able to show the effects of war on many different characters.
After revolutionizing the war genre with 1998’sSaving Private Ryan,Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks continued their examination of World War II with the HBO miniseriesBand of Brothers.
Band of Brothershas been praisedfor its historical accuracy by historians and other military experts. Its authenticity, coupled with Spielberg’s eye for spectacle, make it an unforgettable drama.Spielberg and Hanks have since developed two other World War II shows,The Pacificand 2024’sMasters of the Air.There’s a chance they could continue this trend if they find another story from the war they want to bring to life.
Fight ClubandSevendirector David Fincher has always shown an interest in criminal psychology.Mindhunterbuilds on this fascination by detailing the creation of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit in the 1970s and 1980s.Mindhunterlooks at real-life serial killers to examine their motives and twisted perspectives. In doing so, it provides plenty of chilling scenes which bring Holden and Bill face-to-face with evil.
Fight ClubandSevendirector David Fincher has always shown an interest in criminal psychology.
Sadly,Mindhunterwas canceledafter its second season. Netflix could no longer justify the show’s budget without Fincher making some changes, and he chose instead to pull the plug. It may have only produced two seasons, butMindhunteris still a fascinating drama, and a must-watch for true-crime fans.Fincher still has a deal with Netflix. He directed 2023’sThe Killerwith Michael Fassbender, but there’s always a chance he will create another TV show.
Sci-fi filmmakers Lilly and Lana Wachowski have always been interested in mind-bending high-concept projects. Their biggest success has been theMatrixfranchise, butCloud AtlasandJupiter Ascendingare equally inventive. Their Netflix show,Sense8follows a group of eight strangers from all over the world who develop a psychic connection which allows them to communicate and feel each other’s emotions.
Sense8can be viewed through the lens of the Wachowski sisters' trans identity, as it plays with the theme of individuality and expression.
Sense8can be viewed through the lens of the Wachowski sisters' trans identity, as it plays with the theme of individuality and expression. When the sensates discover their shared connection, they begin to take on characteristics from one another. More broadly,Sense8delivers a message of empathy and acceptance. It’s laced with the Wachowski’s trademark strangeness, and it’s undeniably compelling.
Alex Garland received widespread acclaim as a screenwriter, but his first two directorial efforts proved that he was also a director worth watching. Following on from the successes ofEx MachinaandAnnihilation,Garland took a longer break before his next movie to createDevs,a gripping sci-fi drama starring an uncharacteristically menacing Nick Offerman as the CEO of a mysterious tech company.
LikeEx Machina,Devsfeatures an egotistical computer scientist who ignores the moral ramifications of his actions.
Garland directs all eight episodes ofDevs,so the show is naturally infused with the same kind of unsettling atmosphere that he brings to his movies. LikeEx Machina,Devsfeatures an egotistical computer scientist who ignores the moral ramifications of his actions. The show explores a near-future where the conflict between free will and determinism boils down to a binary decision controlled by a corporation.
David Lynch is one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation, so it says a lot about the quality ofTwin Peaksthat it has eclipsed most of his other great works in terms of popularity and impact.Twin Peakschanged the landscape of TV, and there are dozens of creative shows that owe a great debt to David Lynch.The supernatural mystery drama tears up the conventions of TV storytelling.
The success ofTwin Peakscould be a big reason why more movie directors are interested in creating TV shows these days.
As the lines between TV and movies have continued to blur,Twin Peaksseems even more important in hindsight. However, the show is still well worth watching over 30 years later, so it shouldn’t be seen as just a historical artifact. Lynch has brought audiences back to the strange town of Twin Peaks with a movie and a revival series. The success ofTwin Peakscould be a big reason why more movie directors are interested in creating TV shows these days.
3Believe (2014)
Alfonso Cuarón
Alfonso Cuarón’sBelievecame out just a year after the director released his Oscar-winning dramaGravity.Believeis a fantasy thriller about a young girl learning to harness her supernatural powers while different forces compete to kidnap her and manipulate her abilities for their own profit. Cuarón also directed the show’s first episode, which is filled with his trademark long takes.
Alfonso Cuarón’sBelievecame out just a year after the director released his Oscar-winning dramaGravity.
Believelasted for just one season, but it had the potential to run for a while longer. At the heart of the show is the relationship between the child, Bo, and the falsely imprisoned death-row inmate tasked with protecting her. Season 1 already delivers a few surprising twists about the nature of Bo’s powers and their relationship with one another, but it was cut short before Cuarón got the chance to build on it.
2Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-1965)
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock was one of the first directors to achieve a level of celebrity that rivaled some of the stars of his movies. The British director always had cameos in his own movies so that audiences could see his face, andAlfred Hitchcock Presentsmade him an even bigger household name. He introduced and closed out every episode of the anthology show, as well as directing some of its best episodes.
Alfred Hitchcock Presentshas often been compared toThe Twilight Zone.Both are excellent anthology shows with charismatic hosts, butAlfred Hitchcock Presentsdidn’t stray into sci-fi.
Alfred Hitchcock Presentshas often been compared toThe Twilight Zone.Both are excellent anthology shows with charismatic hosts, butAlfred Hitchcock Presentsdidn’t stray into sci-fi. The best episodes, just likeAlfred Hitchcock’s best movies, are miniature masterpieces in suspenseful filmmaking. The stories often deal with some kind of criminal act, but they are otherwise hard to predict.
Michael Mann is an executive producer onTokyo Vice,and he also helped establish the show’s captivating visual style by directing the first episode. TheHeatdirector is a master of the crime genre.Tokyo Vicebenefits from every ounce of his experience, presenting a rich and hypnotic tale of crime in the dark underbelly of Tokyo. Sadly, the show was recently canceled after its second season.
Michael Mann is an executive producer onTokyo Vice,and he also helped establish the show’s captivating visual style by directing the first episode.
Tokyo Vicestars Ansel Elgort as an American journalist who teams up with a local cop in Tokyo to try and uncover the corruption that allows the yakuza to flourish. The show blends twisty political intrigue with bursts of pulsating action, making it worthwhile despite its premature cancelation.Michael Mann also served as an executive producer onMiami Vice, which he later made into a movie.
