Directors Who Have Gone Quiet

I can’t tell you how many emails I get asking about what happened to this or that director. There are so many great filmmakers who haven’t released a film in 10+ years, for various reasons.

This year we have a few hermits premiering their first films in ages, including Jeff Nichols, Michael Mann, Jonathan Glazer, Hayao Miyazaki, William Friedkin, Victor Erice, Catherine Breillat, Aki Kaurismaki and Tarsem.

Some of the more notable examples of filmmakers who have gone missing:

Kathryn Bigelow, David Lynch, Michael Haneke, Bennett Miller, Kenneth Longergan, Peter Weir, Spike Jonze, Richard Kelly, Mark Romanek, John Carpenter, Frank Darabont, Peter Jackson, Shane Carruth, John Waters, Todd Solondz, Charles Burnett, Terry Zwigoff, Tony Kaye, Cameron Crowe, Wong Kar-Wai, Maren Ade, Derek Cianfrance, John McTiernan, Alex Proyas, Shane Black, Carl Franklin, Brad Bird, John Sayles, Vincent Gallo, Martin Brest, Lisa Cholodenko, Joe Dante

It’s getting harder and harder for a director to greenlight a new project. When it comes to studios, there has been far less of an emphasis on investing in filmmaker-oriented films. It’s more about the bottom line, and that means IP product is king.

Of course then you have directors who are purposely inactive — I wouldn’t be surprised if we never hear again from the likes of Haneke, Weir, Carpenter and Darabont.

Kathryn Bigelow might have a project going, but we’re not entirely sure. She was shooting something earlier this year, but it might have been a commercial. She also had a Netflix movie in pre-production called “Aurora” — whatever happened to that one?

There’s always David Lynch rumors. He was seen shooting something right before the strike. What it was? We’re not entirely sure.

These days Bennett Miller seems more into AI-generated photography. He recently had a gallery show of his works in New York City. He did mention he’s spent the last five years working on a documentary tackling AI.

Peter Weir claims he’s semi-retired.

Spike Jonze, who hasn’t released a movie since 2013’s “Her” is currently working on an ambitious sci-fi limited series for Netflix. It might also star Joaquin Phoenix. No word on if pre-production has been delayed due to the strike.

Meanwhile, John Carpenter is enjoying life by playing video games morning through night. I’m not kidding. However, he has mentioned the possibility of suiting up for one last feature film. He hasn’t directed anything since 2010’s “The Ward.”

We’re likely never going to hear from “Upstream Color” and “Primer” director Shane Carruth again. He was arrested for domestic violence last year, and it’s not the first time that’s happened. He was supposed to direct a film called “The Modern Ocean,” but it’s now been shelved.

Martin Brest has been justly scarred by “Gigli.” I wouldn’t be surprised if he still gets nightmares from that movie.

The great Charles Burnett (“Killer of Sheep,” To Sleep With Anger”) signed on for an Amazon slavery drama in 2019. The pandemic seems to have delayed momentum on that film.

I’ll end it all on a positive note. John Waters was supposed to start production on “Liarmouth,” his first film in almost 20 years, with Aubrey Plaza in the lead, but the strike happened. The film is still happening and will get made, I’m told. All hail, John Waters!