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Across the landscape of contemporary filmmaking, a innovative generation of visionaries is stretching the limits of the scary movie style. From cultural commentaries to visceral thrillers, these 8 filmmakers are producing unforgettable journeys that reshape fear for a modern age.

Jordan Peele

The filmmaker behind Get Out has crafted pointed allegories examining the risks, complexities, and paradoxes of African American experience in the America. Peele's impact is obvious from the abundance of followers, with the best within them supported by the director via his production company.

Robert Eggers

A masterful uncoverer of the darkest corners of the bygone eras, this filmmaker of The Witch, The Lighthouse, and Nosferatu excels in finding the unfamiliar elements of distant history and depicting them free from modern-day alteration. His sinister time machines open portals to psychosis, desire, and elevation.

Voice of a Generation

The modern creator with their finger most attuned to the generation’s spirit, as sensitive to the solitudes, and meaningful bonds, of an digitally-obsessed time. Filtering themes of bonding and mainstream entertainment via gender transition and the legacy of corporeal fear, works such as I Saw the TV Glow explore the strangest cracks of the psyche.

Damien Leone

Leone’s three-part saga of Terrifier films is this era's significant scary movie success story, testament that fan support can still produce bona fide successes from skillfully made microbudget gore. Not just the new Jason or Freddy, insane poster boy Art the Clown is confirmation that the audience's desire for blood – excessive, humorous, unchecked – remains unslakable.

Blurrer of Realities

Blurring the line between hallucination and the real world, with her works Saint Maud and Love Lies Bleeding, The director has assembled a portfolio of powerful women driven to the edge by the depth of their commitment to warped beliefs. Given to fantastical climaxes that challenge simple interpretations into question, her films linger – though not so much like a stone in your footwear than a sharp object in your sole.

Danny and Michael Philippou

From the humble origins of digital platform arose a duo of filmmakers taking over the world with a zeitgeisty style of controversy. With their works Talk to Me and Bring Her Back, they staged atrocity exhibitions in between credible portrayals of how today’s youth think. Aspiring directors idolize them as if they’re freshly canonised saints.

Arthouse Horror Pioneer

The director's polished, symbolism-rich combination of horror elements with arthouse styles earned her a prestigious award, the first time the festival presented its highest honor to a horror picture. Holding the blood-soaked standard of the extreme cinema wave, the Titane creator indulges the cravings of the alienated to spectacular effect.

Na Hong-jin

A member of the most exciting talents to come forth from Eastern cinema in recent years, the Seoul-based filmmaker has crafted one jewel of mythical fear (The Wailing) and co-written one more (The Medium). Paced with absolute certainty and precise atmosphere crafting, his work transposes Hollywood templates into horrifying, novel styles.

The listed filmmakers represent the varied and innovative path of the horror genre, driving the edges of terror into unexplored territories.