From Tarantino to Coppola: which new films of cult directors were successful in recent years and which were not

During the lifetime of the directors, many films became cinema classics. Apparently, this recognition was enough for many, such as the father of “Star Wars” George Lucas, to put the camera aside and enjoy “retirement.” However, some cinema masters decided to return to action with new works after a long break in their careers. We tell you which of these were welcomed and which caused surprise among the audience.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Tim Burton (2024)

Without any exaggeration, Tim Burton’s dark stories made our childhood happy and taught us to love ghosts and other evil spirits. “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, “Big Fish”, “Edward Scissorhands”, “Alice in Wonderland” – there are no so-called unsuccessful films in the director’s filmography. So why did he stop filming? Perhaps the divorce from Helena Bonham Carter and the difficulties in the career of Johnny Depp, in which he took the lion’s share of films, crippled the director, but now we can safely say that the great master has returned triumphantly – the first of which was Wednesday’s success. series and now Beetlejuice is a sequel to Beetlejuice”. Apparently, this was because Tim Burton found a muse – Monica Bellucci, who starred in his last film.

Gladiator 2, Ridley Scott (2024)

Ridley Scott won the hearts of audiences with his historical thrillers and science fiction films: biopunk horror Alien, dystopian Blade Runner and Gladiator. The director even made sequels based on the last two. Not so long ago, “Gladiator 2” debuted strongly at the box office, and Ridley Scott also announced that he would make a series of films based on this cinematic universe. At the same time, reviews of critics and viewers about his latest works are contradictory – the director is especially often accused of distorting historical facts. For example, his film “Napoleon” was crushed by critics, despite the participation of Joaquin Phoenix.

Megalopolis, Francis Ford Coppola (2024)

Five-time Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola became famous for the crime trilogy “The Godfather” and the war drama “Apocalypse Now” but has not directed any films in the last decade. This year the director comes out of the shadows to surprise the public with another project for which he sold a significant part of the funds from the winery. Megalopolis, starring Adam Driver as a genius architect, was supposed to be a sensation, but a poor advertising campaign and rumors of on-set harassment contributed to the film’s low ratings before audiences even saw it. The opinions of critics were also divided: some were repelled by the bitterness of the film, others, on the contrary, called “Megalopolis” an unrecognized masterpiece.

“Later. Now. Then”, Robert Zemeckis (2024)

Robert Zemeckis’ films “Forrest Gump,” “Back to the Future” and “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” have long stood out for quotes. The director is known for his passion for experimenting with computer graphics, but his latest film is “After. Now. Later, the long-awaited comeback of Tom Hanks and Robin Wright was a disappointment for the fans. We explained why this is here.

The Fabelmans, Steven Spielberg (2022)

For us, Steven Spielberg is not only a three-time Oscar winner, but also the man who directed the hit horror movie Jaws, the heartbreaking Schindler’s List and the incredibly adorable ET, as well as the man who made us friends with the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. It would not be an exaggeration to say that in recent years his films have been released rarely and “quietly”. The first sign of the calm was the musical “West Side Story” and the last movie “Fabelmans” became an anthem-confession of love for cinema. Although they may not be able to compete with blockbusters in terms of popularity, the movies will bring back the feeling of magic and nostalgia.

Once Upon a Time in HollywoodQuentin Tarantino (2019)

The cults of “Pulp Fiction”, “Kill Bill”, “Django Unchained” will forever remain in our hearts, but in recent years Quentin Tarantino has acted more as a producer and rarely pleases his fans with his madness, bloody shootouts and distinctive humor. In 2019, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood became almost the most anticipated movie in Hollywood with the participation of stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. The film was timed to coincide with the anniversary of Sharon Tate’s murder by cultists led by Charles Manson. Despite a number of outrageous scenes, the film was generally warmly received by audiences and critics. True, after the success, the director more than once blurted out his intention to end his career. One way or another, in March 2023, it became known that Tarantino was working on the movie “Movie Critic”, which, according to him, will be the last film of his career.