Ryan Coogler is well on his way to becoming a legendary director. His first three movies Fruitvale Station, Creed, and Black Panther are all critical and commercial hits. While some Redditors discuss things they want to see in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, others have chimed in on which directors whose first three films were their best.
It's impossible to include every director out there. George Lucas, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Darren Aronofsky all had an impressive trio of debut films. Newer directors like Destin Daniel Cretton also seem to be following that trajectory following the announcement that he'll be helming the MCU blockbuster Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. Reddit users believe these directors nailed it out of the park on their first few tries.
Quentin Tarantino
Right out of the gate, Quentin Tarantino established his style of slick cinematography, cool music, and insane amounts of gore with Reservoir Dogs. He followed it up with Pulp Fiction which featured iconic acting by John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Bruce Willis to name a few. His take on the blaxploitation genre in Jackie Brown earned mixed reviews upon its release but has since become a cult classic.
Redditor Revolutionary_Box569 says: "Tarantino especially I think peaked with his first three." Maximumkush takes it a step further, commenting: "Jackie Brown is still my favorite film from Tarantino." Other fans agree as Jackie Brown currently has a 95% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Robert Eggers
The Witch is an excellent debut by Robert Eggers. Set in the 1600s, the story follows a Puritan family that discovers eerie happenings in the woods surrounding their farm. Eggers followed up that film with The Lighthouse, a stark psychological thriller about two men living in isolation at an outpost in New England.
The Northman is Eggers' third movie and it was released to critical acclaim earlier this year. "It's only Eggers' third feature and if you honestly if you take a look at the rest of his filmography it's honestly very memorable," comments Reddit user S_rene_JG.
Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola did a great job of living up to her surname upon her debut. The Virgin Suicides stars Kristen Dunst as one of the Lisbon sisters struggling with the meaning of adolescence in middle America. Coppola's next movie Lost In Translation earned multiple Academy Award nominations for its depiction of two strangers navigating culture shock in Japan. Her third film Marie Antoinette and her second collaboration with Dunst became a hit among millennials.
Reddit user nayapapaya absolutely loved The Virgin Suicides. I would say that The Virgin Suicides is her best film. I first saw it as a teenager and I became obsessed with it. I could really relate to that sense of suffocation and ennui that the sisters felt." Excellent-Weight-606 also thinks Coppola peaked with her first 3 films, calling Lost In Translation "her masterpiece."
Brad Bird
Brad Bird worked on several animated movies in the '80s and '90s before making his directorial debut with the politically charged film The Iron Giant. His breakthrough came with the Pixar classic The Incredibles, which has since spurned a sequel and a Disneyland ride based on the characters called Incredicoaster. Bird's third feature Ratatouille is a lesser-known film that many Pixar fans site as their favorite for its charming characters and story.
Redditor Homeoftheblizzard says: "Ratatouille is my favorite digitally animated film! Loved it." Qwertymaster seconds that notion, exclaiming: "It is seriously awesome. I think it's one of the more underrated Pixar movies." Indeed, Ratatouille is one of the most re-watchable Pixar movies.
Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott's first film The Duellists isn't too well known, but he broke through the mainstream with Alien. The movie follows a group of space travelers who are awakened by the signals of an alien life force. Scott's next film Blade Runner also became an instant sci-fi classic, cementing Harrison Ford's already impressive status as a leading man.
Redditor DarkReaper90 believes Scott's style was incredibly influential. "It's crazy to think how many genres he helped popularize, and maybe even pioneered," they comment. JamessFranco claims Alien is Scott's best work, saying it "shaped how films are now."
Wes Anderson
Wes Anderson established his quirky narration and editing styles early on with Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and The Royal Tenenbaums. While Anderson's memorable characters are part of the charm and charisma of his movies, many fans site these first three as their favorites.
In a Reddit thread about best debut films, user bawlzsauce notes Bottle Rocket as among the best. User cdaffron says: "Wes Anderson has not made a movie I’ve disliked yet." Anderson's already working on his next movie, reportedly called Asteroid City.
Jordan Peele
Jordan Peele's Nope is earning all kinds of praise, and some are even getting creative and wondering which Nope characters would survive in Us. It was Peele's first film Get Out however, that drew audiences to his unique takes on racism, modern slavery, and white privilege in modern America.
Although Peele has only directed those 3 movies so far, Redditors think it will be incredibly hard for him to top that trio of horror films. User WhatIsAnime_ comments: "I really enjoyed Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out’ & ‘Us’. I like the way he directs, its definitely different and sets him apart from the rest of the horror genre directors."
Alejandro G. Iñarritu
Mexican director Alejandro G. Iñarritu started his filmmaking career with a triple threat of psychological dramas including Amores perros, 21 Grams, and Babel. Both Benicio del Toro (Best Supporting Actor) and Naomi Watts (Best Actress) earned Academy Award nominations for their performances in 21 Grams. The film was also a commercial success, earning over $60M against a $20M budget, according to Box Office Mojo.
Although lesser known in Reddit circles, Iñarritu's early films impressed fans who saw his work. "Amores Perros is simply amazing, it's his strongest work," praises user Cakes2015. MrDudeWheresMyCar notes his later films as their favorites, saying: "Birdman and The Revenant were the only films I've seen from him. I enjoyed both quite a bit."
Judd Apatow
For gut-busting laughs, check out Judd Apatow's directorial debut The 40-Year-Old Virgin Steve Carell stars as a lonely 40-year-old man who's never had sex. Upon learning this, his friends embark on a challenge to help him lose his virginity. Apatow's second movie Knocked Up features Seth Rogan and Katherine Heigl as an awkward couple who accidentally get pregnant after a one-night stand. Funny People rounds out Apatow's first three films, with Adam Sandler as a comedian who learns he has a deadly disease so he helps mentor a struggling stand-up comedian.
"Apatow is great. His films are hilarious fun. And I think he was really on to something with Funny People, which so many people seem to loathe," Redditor TehDoctor remarks. Some fans even think Funny People was the epitome of his career. "I think Funny People is kind of the pinnacle of his word. I think that film shows what a great artist he truly is," says user _justtwoguys.
Christopher Nolan
Best known for The Dark Knight trilogy, Christopher Nolan broke through to the mainstream with his first three movies Following, Memento, and Insomnia. While all three are solid films, some Reddit users believe Memento is clearly the best. "If you watched Memento first, then you may find this Following underwhelming. For better or worse, it's classic Nolan," notes Redditor sledgehammer44.
In a personal anecdote, Redditor DarkKnightLite says Christopher Nolan is a good person to work with as well. "Nolan is a very even-tempered guy, never raised his voice above a casual tone," they said. Nolan's next movie Oppenheimer, a biopic about the development of the atomic bomb, hits theatres in Summer 2023.