New York City has acted as the setting for dozens of iconic and successful films throughout Hollywood history. But that particular area of the country has also produced wildly talented actors, writers, and directors alike that saw the aforementioned projects into fruition.
The upper echelon of this list comprises a few of the most famous filmmakers to ever live, regardless of region or era. But for the most part, these are among the most important players in Hollywood throughout their respective generations, and even if you don’t recognize them by name, you should undoubtedly know the titles of their most famous films. All that said, these are the twenty-five best film directors who were bornin New York City.
25Charlie Kaufman
Although he’s one of the most unique filmmakers of his generation,Charlie Kaufmandoesn’t quite hold the name value that he should, especially compared to the others on his list. But even if you don’t know his name,you’ve undoubtedly seen his movies— reference his scripts toBeing John Malkovich(1999),Adaptation(2002), andEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind(2004), for example. He didn’t direct those films, but he established their stories and gave their respective directors everything they needed to see the projects into fruition.
However, he did make his directorial debut withSynecdoche, New York(2008), which stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman and received rave reviews from critics. In true Kaufman nature, his two other projects —Anomalisa(2015) andI’m Thinking Ending of Things(2020) — are entirely original in concept and execution alike, and land the NYC filmmaker here at the start of the list.
24F. Gary Gray
After getting his start as a director by making music videos for artists such as Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Outkast, and TLC, the filmmaker at hand made waves in Hollywood with his directorial debut:Friday(1995). That’s still his most famous film, and with good reason: with Ice Cube and Chris Tucker — in the latter’s breakthrough role, no less — as the stars, its comedic value is through the roof even today.
ButF. Gary Grayby no means slowed down from there regarding his overall filmmaking output. He followed up withSet It Off(1996),an underrated heist stint, and from there released what is perhaps his best film in terms of sheer quality inThe Negotiator, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey. Most of his twenty-first century are easy to pass up, save forStraight Outta Compton(2016). If one film throughout Gray’s oeuvre givesThe Negotiatora run for its money, that’d have to be the one.
23Noah Baumbach
Although he’s been around since the mid-nineties thanks toKicking and Screaming(1995), the name value ofNoah Baumbachonly gained traction in the 2010s. Sure, certain projects likeThe Squid and the Whale(2005) were popular in their own right, with that particular project garnering Baumbach an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. But for the most part, the most notable release up to its point in his career wasFrances Ha(2012).
He cowrote the film with American actress and filmmaker Greta Gerwig — and in that regard, it’s worth noting he also cowrote two films with Wes Anderson:The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou(2004) andFantastic Mr. Fox(2009). But with regard to his other, more recent directorial stints,The Meyerowitz Stories(2017) is a solid narrative witha star-studded cast, andMarriage Story(2019) is perhaps his masterpiece. Definitely check those out, if you haven’t.
22Aaron Sorkin
Although mostly known for his masterful screenwriting efforts,Aaron Sorkinmade his directorial debut withMolly’s Game(2017), a biographical crime drama based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Molly Bloom. The titular character, she’s portrayed to a tee by Jessica Chastain. And Sorkin picked up a nomination at the Oscars for his adapted screenplay, which follows Molly as she’s tracked by the FBI after they learn of her underground poker empire.
From there, Sorkin hasn’t looked back: he’s directed the two other films he’s written since,The Trial of the Chicago 7(2020) andBeing the Ricardos(2021). But really, he’ll mostly be remembered throughout his career for his masterful adaptation of the social media mogul Mark Zuckerberg withThe Social Network(2010). Directed by David Fincher, that project goes down as the best from everyone involved. And even then, Sorkin’s script still stands out.
21Penny Marshall
After starting out in the mid-eighties withJumpin’ Jack Flash(1986) — a comedy with a heartfelt performance from Whoopi Goldberg as the lead — directorPenny Marshallmoved on to greater commercial heights with her sophomoric follow-up:Big(1988), the famous fantasy comedy with Tom Hanks. And in the subsequent decade, Marshall solidified herself among Hollywood’s top-ranking directors.
Awakenings(1990)with Robert De Niroand Robin Williams runs the gamut of emotion and intrigue, whileA League of Their Own(1992) saw Marshall reunite with Tom Hanks. The three later films of her career are far less noteworthy than the aforementioned projects. But she had already established herself as one of New York City’s greatest directorial talents.
Related:10 Greatest Female Directors of the 1990s
20Bryan Singer
After reaching critical acclaim in the nineties withThe Usual Suspects(1995) — a neo-noir mystery film with a plot twist for the ages —Bryan Singerreached superstar status as a director by making several superhero movies. Most prominent wereX-Men(2000) andX2(2003), along with the more recentX-Menentries likeDays of Future Past(2014) andApocalypse(2016).
But one that flies like a bird or a plane a bit too far under the radar nowadays isSuperman Returns(2006) starring Brandon Routh. And even then, superhero stints aren’t the only films under Singer’s directorial belt inthe twenty-first century—Bohemian Rhapsody(2018) won five out of six nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, and solidifies the director’s spot on this list.
19Jon Favreau
And coming in at number twenty is another director of modern superhero movies, asJon Favreauhas helmed bothIron Man(2008) andIron Man 2(2010). The former goes down as one of the highest-quality projects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe even to this day. But like Singer, this director was far from a one-trick pony.
Elf(2003) with Will Ferrell is commonly considered among the funniest films from its decade, and remains a staple in households across America come Christmastime. And while a lot of Favreau’s other titles miss the qualitative mark,The Jungle Book(2016) helps his other successes land him here on the list.
Related:Elf Director Jon Favreau Addresses the Possibility of a Sequel
18J.J. Abrams
Divert your attention for a moment away from juggernaut science fiction franchises likeStar WarsandStar Trek— more on those in a moment. There are two movies byJ.J. Abramsthat tend to get thrown by the wayside nowadays inMission: Impossible III(2006) andSuper 8(2011). The former is of course the third entry of the famous action franchise with Tom Cruise, while the latter goes down as an awesome sci-fi stint inspired byfilms from the eighties.
But with regard to those sci-fi projects: J.J. hit home with fans around the world withStar Trek(2009), along with its sequelStar Trek Into Darkness(2013). He then gave a similar treatment to a galaxy far, far away by makingStar Wars: The Force Awakens(2015). And while the anomalousStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker(2019) missed the mark, J.J. undoubtedly deserves this spot among the greats of New York City.
17Joss Whedon
Upon seeing his name, old-school fans ofJoss Whedonmay have thought of his television franchises likeBuffy the Vampire Slayer(1997–2003) andFirefly(2002). However, with regard to his filmography: the most obvious titles worth noting are withinthe Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course,The Avengers(2012) was a massive blockbuster success. It was the third highest grossing film ever made at the time of its release, andAvengers: Age of Ultron(2015) nearly reached the same number of ticket sales.
Several MCU films have now surpassed them both in commercial success, butThe Avengersremains among the highest-quality projects the series has seen. With other projects likeSerenity(2005) andMuch Ado About Nothing(2012) under his directorial belt, he more than deserves this seventeenth spot.
16Nora Ephron
Before ever directing a feature film,Nora Ephronhad six screenplays under her belt, and two of them received nominations at the Academy Awards:Silkwood(1983) andWhen Harry Met Sally…(1989). The latter might be the standout of her career, but in the following decade,she made her directorial debutwithThis is My Life(1992).
Critics didn’t love it, but they were quite fond of her sophomore follow-up:Sleepless in Seattle(1993). With Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the lead roles, this trio went on to define rom coms for an entire generation of filmgoers not just with that commercial success, but also withYou’ve Got Mail(1998). Ephron’s name value has waned into the twenty-first century, but she did manageJulie & Julia(2008) with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams. That undoubtedly bolsters her spot.
