A Director’s Showcase: The Visionaries Behind This Week’s Streaming Hits

This week, several talented directors are bringing their unique visions to streaming platforms. From seasoned action maestros to indie darlings, the filmmakers behind these five new releases are as compelling as the stories they tell. Let’s take a look at the creative forces in the director’s chair.
Len Wiseman, known for his work on the Underworld series and Live Free or Die Hard, brings his signature slick, high-octane style to Ballerina (Starz, Sept 25). His expertise in crafting intricate action sequences and building atmospheric worlds is on full display in this John Wick spin-off, promising a visually stunning and relentlessly paced cinematic experience.
In The Surfer (Hulu, Sept 25), director Lorcan Finnegan continues to explore the themes of paranoia and confinement that he mastered in his previous film, Vivarium. Finnegan is a master of creating unsettling atmospheres, and he uses the beautiful but isolating setting of a remote beach to build a world of psychological dread around Nicolas Cage’s character.
Gerard Johnstone returns to direct M3GAN 2.0 (Peacock) after successfully launching the franchise in 2022. Johnstone has a unique talent for blending horror, dark humor, and social commentary. In the sequel, he expands the scope to include more action, promising to evolve the story of the iconic AI doll in exciting and unexpected ways.
The sci-fi romance All of You (Apple TV+, Sept 26) is helmed by William Bridges, a writer acclaimed for his work on episodes of Black Mirror and Stranger Things. Making his directorial debut, Bridges is expected to bring the same intelligence, emotional depth, and inventive storytelling to this film about two best friends in love.
While the director for Karate Kid: Legends (Netflix, Sept 27) wasn’t named in the prompt, the film’s vision is clearly a collaborative effort to merge the distinct styles of the original franchise and the Jackie Chan-led reboot, promising a movie that honors multiple legacies.