TopTenREVIEWS best Sci-Fi movie director of all time is George Lucas.

Top Sci-Fi Directors

Click on an director for details and movie rankings

Directors are ranked according to overall movie critic score

1	George Lucas	3.1841	15	1960s - 8 1970s - 3 1990s - 1 2000s - 3	1. Star Wars (1977) 2. THX 1138 (1971) 3. Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) 4. Star Wars Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) See all George Lucas movie rankings
2	Steven Spielberg	3.0994	31	1950s - 1 1960s - 3 1970s - 3 1980s - 7 1990s - 6 2000s - 9	1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) 2. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) 3. Minority Report (2002) 4. Jurassic Park (1993) See all Steven Spielberg movie rankings
3	Stanley Kubrick	2.8515	14	1950s - 6 1960s - 4 1970s - 1 1980s - 2 1990s - 1	1. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) 2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 3. Clockwork Orange, A (1971) See all Stanley Kubrick movie rankings
4	John Carpenter	2.8419	23	1960s - 5 1970s - 3 1980s - 8 1990s - 5 2000s - 2	1. Dark Star (1974) 2. Escape from New York (1981) 3. They Live (1988) 4. Starman (1984) See all John Carpenter movie rankings
5	Ivan Reitman	2.7856	16	1960s - 1 1970s - 3 1980s - 5 1990s - 4 2000s - 3	1. Ghost Busters (1984) 2. Ghostbusters II (1989) 3. Evolution (2001) 4. My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) See all Ivan Reitman movie rankings
6	James Cameron	2.7668	13	1970s - 1 1980s - 4 1990s - 4 2000s - 4	1. Aliens (1986) 2. Terminator, The (1984) 3. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) 4. Abyss, The (1989) See all James Cameron movie rankings
7	Fritz Lang	2.7420	45	1910s - 5 1920s - 10 1930s - 7 1940s - 9 1950s - 13 1960s - 1	1. Metropolis (1927) See all Fritz Lang movie rankings
8	Terence Fisher	2.6151	50	1940s - 6 1950s - 27 1960s - 16 1970s - 1	1. Curse of Frankenstein, The (1957) 2. Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) 3. Island of Terror (1966) 4. Night of the Big Heat (1967) See all Terence Fisher movie rankings
9	George A. Romero	2.6138	12	1960s - 1 1970s - 4 1980s - 4 1990s - 1 2000s - 2	1. Night of the Living Dead (1968) 2. Day of the Dead (1985) 3. Creepshow (1982) 4. Crazies, The (1973) See all George A. Romero movie rankings
10	David Cronenberg	2.5634	23	1960s - 3 1970s - 5 1980s - 5 1990s - 4 2000s - 6	1. Fly, The (1986) 2. Videodrome (1983) 3. Brood, The (1979) 4. eXistenZ (1999) See all David Cronenberg movie rankings
11	James Whale	2.5533	21	1930s - 17 1940s - 3 1960s - 1	1. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) 2. Frankenstein (1931) 3. Invisible Man, The (1933) 4. Invisible Man, The (1966) See all James Whale movie rankings
12	Erle C. Kenton	2.5127	103	1910s - 2 1920s - 57 1930s - 22 1940s - 18 1950s - 3 1960s - 1	1. Island of Lost Souls (1933) 2. Ghost of Frankenstein, The (1942) 3. House of Frankenstein (1944) 4. House of Dracula (1945) See all Erle C. Kenton movie rankings
13	Roland Emmerich	2.5024	14	1970s - 1 1980s - 3 1990s - 5 2000s - 5	1. Independence Day (1996) 2. Stargate (1994) 3. Day After Tomorrow, The (2004) 4. Universal Soldier (1992) See all Roland Emmerich movie rankings
14	Byron Haskin	2.5010	25	1920s - 4 1940s - 3 1950s - 12 1960s - 6	1. War of the Worlds, The (1953) 2. Conquest of Space (1955) 3. From the Earth to the Moon (1958) 4. Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964) See all Byron Haskin movie rankings
15	Val Guest	2.4838	40	1940s - 5 1950s - 17 1960s - 10 1970s - 5 1980s - 3	1. Abominable Snowman, The (1957) 2. Day the Earth Caught Fire, The (1961) 3. Quatermass Xperiment, The (1955) 4. Quatermass 2 (1957) See all Val Guest movie rankings
16	Jack Arnold	2.4716	29	1950s - 19 1960s - 5 1970s - 5	1. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) 2. It Came from Outer Space (1953) 3. Incredible Shrinking Man, The (1957) 4. Tarantula (1955) See all Jack Arnold movie rankings
17	Ridley Scott	2.4589	22	1960s - 1 1970s - 2 1980s - 4 1990s - 4 2000s - 11	1. Alien (1979) 2. Blade Runner (1982) See all Ridley Scott movie rankings
18	Brad Bird	2.4587	2	1990s - 1 2000s - 1	1. Incredibles, The (2004) 2. Iron Giant, The (1999) See all Brad Bird movie rankings
19	David Twohy	2.4457	5	1990s - 1 2000s - 4	1. Arrival, The (1996) 2. Below (2002) 3. Pitch Black (2000) 4. Chronicles of Riddick, The (2004) See all David Twohy movie rankings
20	Peter Hyams	2.4397	17	1970s - 5 1980s - 4 1990s - 6 2000s - 2	1. Outland (1981) 2. Capricorn One (1978) 3. Timecop (1994) 4. Sound of Thunder, A (2005) See all Peter Hyams movie rankings
21	George Miller	2.4192	21	1970s - 2 1980s - 8 1990s - 9 2000s - 2	1. Mad Max (1979) 2. Mad Max 2 (1981) 3. Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) 4. Untitled Mad Max 4 Film (2006) See all George Miller movie rankings
22	Bert I. Gordon	2.4186	19	1950s - 7 1960s - 5 1970s - 5 1980s - 2	1. Earth vs the Spider (1958) 2. Beginning of the End (1957) 3. Attack of the Puppet People (1958) 4. Empire of the Ants (1977) See all Bert I. Gordon movie rankings
23	William Cameron Menzies	2.4128	12	1930s - 7 1940s - 1 1950s - 4	1. Invaders from Mars (1953) 2. Things to Come (1936) 3. Maze, The (1953) 4. Whip Hand, The (1951) See all William Cameron Menzies movie rankings
24	Edward L. Cahn	2.3314	96	1930s - 18 1940s - 26 1950s - 28 1960s - 24	1. It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958) 2. Invisible Invaders (1959) 3. She-Creature, The (1956) 4. Invasion of the Saucer Men (1957) See all Edward L. Cahn movie rankings
25	Larry Wachowski	2.3103	5	1990s - 2 2000s - 3	1. Matrix, The (1999) 2. Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) 3. Matrix Revolutions, The (2003) See all Larry Wachowski movie rankings
26	Andy Wachowski	2.3103	5	1990s - 2 2000s - 3	1. Matrix, The (1999) 2. Matrix Reloaded, The (2003) 3. Matrix Revolutions, The (2003) See all Andy Wachowski movie rankings
27	Jonathan Frakes	2.3063	4	1990s - 2 2000s - 2	1. Star Trek: First Contact (1996) 2. Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) 3. Clockstoppers (2002) 4. Thunderbirds (2004) See all Jonathan Frakes movie rankings
28	Franklin J. Schaffner	2.2978	4	1960s - 1 1970s - 3	1. Planet of the Apes (1968) 2. Boys from Brazil, The (1978) See all Franklin J. Schaffner movie rankings
29	Roger Corman	2.2826	49	1950s - 22 1960s - 23 1970s - 3 1990s - 1	1. X (1963) 2. Little Shop of Horrors, The (1960) 3. It Conquered the World (1956) 4. Wasp Woman, The (1960) See all Roger Corman movie rankings
30	Robert Stevenson	2.2795	38	1930s - 8 1940s - 9 1950s - 5 1960s - 11 1970s - 5	1. Son of Flubber (1963) 2. Man Who Changed His Mind, The (1936) 3. Monkey's Uncle, The (1965) 4. Non-Stop New York (1937) See all Robert Stevenson movie rankings
31	Guillermo del Toro	2.2621	6	1990s - 1 2000s - 5	1. Hellboy (2004) 2. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) 3. Mimic (1997) 4. Killing on Carnival Row (2007) See all Guillermo del Toro movie rankings
32	Edward Bernds	2.2294	83	1940s - 41 1950s - 39 1960s - 3	1. World Without End (1956) 2. Queen of Outer Space (1958) 3. Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters, The (1954) 4. Space Master X-7 (1958) See all Edward Bernds movie rankings
33	Paul Verhoeven	2.2089	57	1930s - 6 1940s - 9 1950s - 19 1960s - 8 1970s - 5 1980s - 4 1990s - 3 2000s - 3	1. RoboCop (1987) 2. Total Recall (1990) 3. Starship Troopers (1997) 4. Hollow Man (2000) See all Paul Verhoeven movie rankings
34	Vincenzo Natali	2.2087	8	1990s - 3 2000s - 5	1. Cube (1997) 2. Cypher (2002) 3. Nothing (2003) 4. Cube (1998) See all Vincenzo Natali movie rankings
35	Freddie Francis	2.1883	25	1960s - 15 1970s - 9 1980s - 1	1. Creeping Flesh, The (1973) 2. Evil of Frankenstein, The (1964) 3. Trog (1970) 4. They Came from Beyond Space (1967) See all Freddie Francis movie rankings
36	Joe Dante	2.1701	13	1960s - 1 1970s - 2 1980s - 5 1990s - 3 2000s - 2	1. Innerspace (1987) 2. Explorers (1985) 3. Small Soldiers (1998) See all Joe Dante movie rankings
37	Alfonso Cuarón	2.1525	2	2000s - 2	1. Children of Men (2006) See all Alfonso Cuarón movie rankings
38	Bernard L. Kowalski	2.1217	7	1950s - 4 1960s - 2 1970s - 1	1. Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959) 2. Night of the Blood Beast (1958) 3. SSSSSSS (1973) See all Bernard L. Kowalski movie rankings
39	Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr.	2.1131	6	1950s - 3 1960s - 3	1. Blob, The (1958) 2. Dinosaurus! (1960) 3. 4D Man (1959) See all Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr. movie rankings
40	Nathan Juran	2.1092	21	1950s - 14 1960s - 6 1970s - 1	1. 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957) 2. First Men in the Moon (1964) 3. Deadly Mantis, The (1957) 4. Deadly Mantis, The (1966) See all Nathan Juran movie rankings
41	William Witney	2.0985	90	1930s - 11 1940s - 34 1950s - 37 1960s - 7 1970s - 1	1. Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941) 2. Crimson Ghost, The (1946) 3. Master of the World (1961) 4. S.O.S. Coast Guard (1937) See all William Witney movie rankings
42	John Frankenheimer	2.0870	30	1950s - 1 1960s - 11 1970s - 8 1980s - 4 1990s - 4 2000s - 2	1. Manchurian Candidate, The (1962) 2. Seconds (1966) 3. Island of Dr. Moreau, The (1996) 4. Prophecy (1979) See all John Frankenheimer movie rankings
43	Terry Gilliam	2.0814	13	1960s - 1 1970s - 3 1980s - 4 1990s - 3 2000s - 2	1. Brazil (1985) 2. Twelve Monkeys (1995) See all Terry Gilliam movie rankings
44	Bryan Singer	2.0791	8	1990s - 3 2000s - 5	1. X2: X-Men United (2003) 2. Superman Returns (2006) 3. X-Men (2000) See all Bryan Singer movie rankings
45	Barry Sonnenfeld	2.0763	10	1990s - 6 2000s - 4	1. Men in Black (1997) 2. Men in Black II (2002) 3. Wild Wild West (1999) See all Barry Sonnenfeld movie rankings
46	Fred F. Sears	2.0734	47	1940s - 2 1950s - 45	1. Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) 2. Giant Claw, The (1957) 3. Werewolf, The (1956) 4. Night the World Exploded, The (1957) See all Fred F. Sears movie rankings
47	Robert Wise	2.0649	39	1940s - 9 1950s - 18 1960s - 6 1970s - 5 1980s - 1	1. Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951) 2. Andromeda Strain, The (1971) See all Robert Wise movie rankings
48	Irvin Kershner	2.0564	15	1950s - 2 1960s - 5 1970s - 5 1980s - 2 1990s - 1	1. Star Wars Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) 2. RoboCop 2 (1990) See all Irvin Kershner movie rankings
49	Mel Brooks	2.0547	3	1960s - 1 1970s - 2	1. Young Frankenstein (1974) See all Mel Brooks movie rankings
50	Herbert L. Strock	2.0435	8	1950s - 5 1960s - 2 1970s - 1	1. How to Make a Monster (1958) 2. Crawling Hand, The (1963) 3. I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) 4. Gog (1954) See all Herbert L. Strock movie rankings

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