Ridley Scott and 14 Other Directors Over 80 Still Making Movies
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At 86, Ridley Scott is on the cusp of releasing one of the biggest films of his career — “Gladiator II” — and already has at least two additional projects lined up for 2025, a reteam with Paul Mescal and a Bee Gees biopic. With no signs of slowing down.
He’s not the only Hollywood veteran who’s still making movies: Martin Scorsese, who turned 82 this year, made one of the best films of his career with “Killers of the Flower Moon” while Clint Eastwood (94) has what might be his final film, “Juror #2” in theaters now.
Here are 15 directors over 80 who are still busy making movies. (And if you’re wondering why we’ve left off Steven Spielberg, he’s a relatively youthful 77.)
Martin Scorsese, 82
The prolific director of “Goodfellas,” and “The Departed” was Oscar-nominated again for his 2023 historic epic, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and is now developing two films: “The Life of Jesus” and a movie about Frank Sinatra. He also returned to documentaries with 2022’s "Personality Crisis: One Night Only,” about New York Dolls lead singer David Johansen. He continues to produce, including Lynne Ramsay’s next movie “Die, My Love.”
Margarethe von Trotta, 82
The leading New German Cinema director’s latest is 2023’s “Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey Into the Desert,” about the relationship between Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann and Swiss novelist Max Frisch. Her previous films include 1975’s “The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum,” co-directed with Volker Schlöndorff, and 2012’s “Hannah Arendt.”
Werner Herzog, 82
The German director, who has been making films since the 1960s, had two films out in 2022: “Theatre of Thought,” and the documentary “The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft,” about the late volcanologists.
Stephen Frears, 83
The British director of “The Queen” and “Dangerous Liaisons” released “The Lost King” in 2022, with Steve Coogan and Sally Hawkins. He’s also co-directed and executive produced the 2024 HBO miniseries “The Regime,” which starred Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts and Hugh Grant.
Charles Shyer, 83
The helmer of the Steve Martin “Father of the Bride” films and “Baby Boom” recently directed the 2022 Christmas movie “The Noel Diary,” and co-wrote the screenplay to another holiday movie, 2023’s “Best. Christmas. Ever!”
Brian De Palma, 84
The “Untouchables” and “Carrie” director is set to release, “Sweet Vengeance,” a murder mystery thought to be based on two real-life killings, in 2025. It stars “Shining Girls” and “Civil War” actor Wagner Moura.
Francis Ford Coppola, 85
The man behind ’70s classics “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” released his long-in-the-making film “Megalopolis” in 2024. The star-studded cast includes Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Aubrey Plaza and Talia Shire.
Volker Schlöndorff, 85
The “Tin Drum” director’s latest film, the documentary “The Forest Maker,” is about reforestation pioneer Tony Rinaudo. In 2023, footage from his 1966 movie “Der junge Törless” was used in the Pet Shop Boys video “The Lost Room.”
Ridley Scott, 86
The “Gladiator” helmer followed up his 2000 epic with the long-awaited sequel, “Gladiator II,” which hits theaters on Nov. 22. Prior to that, he helmed another historical epic, “Napoleon,” which starred Joaquin Phoenix as the famous French leader, and 2021’s double bill of “House of Gucci” and “The Last Duel.”
Woody Allen, 88
In 2022, the “Annie Hall” director clarified that he is not retiring, despite his outcast status in Hollywood. His newest film, “Coup de Chance,” which was filmed in Paris and features a French cast, was released in April. He turns 89 on Nov. 30.
Costa-Gavras, 91
The Greek-French director of 1969 political thriller “Z” and the 1982 drama “Missing” directed, wrote, and edited “Adults in the Room” in 2019.
Roman Polanski, 91
Despite fleeing Hollywood in 1978 rather than face rape charges and being kicked out of the Academy in 2018, the French-based director is still making movies. His latest, “The Palace,” which stars Mickey Rourke, Joaquim de Almeida, and John Cleese, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in Sept. 2023.
Clint Eastwood, 94
The two-time Best Director Oscar winner is back in theaters with his 40th feature film, “Juror #2,” starring Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette. Prior to that, he directed and starred in 2021’s “Cry Macho.”
Frederick Wiseman, 94
In 2022, the celebrated documentarian released the French drama, “A Couple,” about novelist Leo Tolstoy and his wife, followed by the documentary 2023 “Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros,” about a famed French restaurant. He also had a role in Rebecca Zlotowski’s “Other People’s Children.”
James Ivory, 96
The writer and director appeared in Stephen Soucy’s 2024 documentary, “Merchant Ivory,” about his long-running filmmaking partnership with Ismail Merchant. He won his first Oscar for his adapted screenplay for 2017’s “Call Me By Your Name.” He also co-directed and narrated 2022 documentary memoir “A Cooler Climate.”
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