When it comes to comic book stories, even good characters can fail when the story is not well-written. The story of a character has a lot more to tell about them. Many famous comic books have survived because their stories never failed to fascinate. A good storyteller knows how to use his story to bring out the best in the characters. The same stands true for comic book adaptations. The directors’ vision adds more depth to the stories told in comic books. And this is what makes some of them the best directors in the comic book movie genre.
1. Christopher Nolan
After the failure of Batman & Robin (1997), Christopher Nolan was brought in to reboot the Batman franchise. And so he did successfully, with the dark and gritty – Batman Begins. He then continued to grow his reinvention with The Dark Knight. Christopher Nolan, undoubtedly one of the best directors of today, used his skills and made the stories more realistic and grounded. It helped bring back the franchise and also inspired other reboots. He also added the outstanding tension and incredible performances by the cast to create one of the best superhero movies of all time.
2. Anthony and Joseph Russo
After a long build-up that started almost a decade back, Marvel’s Avengers Infinity Saga came to an end with a mind-blowing film Avengers: Endgame. The movie brought together every major hero to fight in the final battle against Thanos. Anthony and Joseph Russo, being the best directors they are, managed to balance it all well. They made a movie full of thrill and emotions. The Russo brothers put the perfect amount of everything, to make it the biggest comic book classic movie of all times.
3. James Mangold
Over the years, the X-Men franchise has struggled to stay consistent. However, Wolverine is a fan favorite. Taking over after the failure of X-Men: Origins, brought the franchise back on track with The Wolverine and the masterpiece, Logan. The director used an r-rated approach to show the violence and anger of his character, in a way audience, hadn’t seen before. Mangold is one of the best directors who used his skills to create a film about loss, aging, and redemption.
4. Ryan Coogler
In 2018, came the live-action solo film Black Panther, which focused on the events that happen after the UN blast that happened in Captain America: Civil War. It was a pop-cultural phenomenon, achieving tremendous critical and commercial success. It is praised for its representation of Afrofuturism and the country Wakanda. The biggest reason behind the huge success was the visions of the Director, Ryan Coogler. He has shone as one of the best directors of the comic book movie genre.
5. Patty Jenkins
After Wonder Woman was first introduced in Superman vs. Batman, she came back in her first solo film. Wonder Woman is a story that stands out, telling us the journey of the heroine, of leaving Themyscira and exploring the world of men. Patty Jenkins created a film that balanced well the hope and optimistic nature of the superhero with horrors and violence that happened in World War I. The movie shows, that Patty Jenkins has what it takes to be one of the best directors of the comic book movie genre.
