The Top Directors of the 2000s
List of the top directors of the 2000s. From 2000 to 2009, the best directors of all time were able to push out some of their greatest endeavors yet. Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies set high standards for the 21st century filmmakers, but other directors of the 2000s rose to the occasion. Look no further than the two Andersons, Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson, whose indie films turned into box office hits during the decade.
Ron Howard, another actor-turned-director, impressed critics with A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man, while Jason Reitman hit a three-for-three with movies like Thank You For Smoking, Juno, and Up in the Air. Two female directors were also incredibly important in the 2000s, not only with Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation, but also with Kathryn Bigelow changing the landscape forever with her 2009 Best Director Academy Award for The Hurt Locker.
Ron Howard, another actor-turned-director, impressed critics with A Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man, while Jason Reitman hit a three-for-three with movies like Thank You For Smoking, Juno, and Up in the Air. Two female directors were also incredibly important in the 2000s, not only with Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation, but also with Kathryn Bigelow changing the landscape forever with her 2009 Best Director Academy Award for The Hurt Locker.
Ranked by
- 1Age: 60
- Credits (Film): Fight Club, Seven, Being John Malkovich, The Social Network, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Birthplace: Denver, Colorado, United States of America
Panic Room (2002)
Zodiac (2007)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) - 2Age: 59
- Credits (Film): Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill Volume 1, Inglourious Basterds, Django Unchained
- Birthplace: Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
Kill Bill Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill Volume 2 (2004)
Death Proof (2007) - 3Age: 52
- Credits (Film): The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Batman Begins, Inception, Man of Steel
- Birthplace: Europe, Eurasia, United Kingdom, London, England
- 4Age: 61
- Credits (Film): The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, King Kong, Hot Fuzz
- Birthplace: Porirua, Pukerua Bay, New Zealand
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
King Kong (2005)
The Lovely Bones (2009) - 5Age: 52
- Credits (Film): Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Minority Report, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love
- Birthplace: Studio City, California, United States of America
Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
There Will Be Blood (2007) - 6Age: 60
- Credits (Film): Ocean's Eleven, Erin Brockovich, Traffic, Ocean's Thirteen, Ocean's Twelve
- Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
Erin Brokovich (2000)
Traffic (2000)
Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Full Frontal (2002)
Solaris (2002)
Eros (2005)
Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Bubble (2006)
The Good German (2006)
Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Che (2009)
The Girlfriend Experience (2009)
The Informant! (2009)
