Twin Peaks Cast Ranking

The main/main recurring cast: 

1. Kyle MacLachlan as Special Agent Dale Cooper - a brilliant performance that's so funny, endearing, haunting, poignant, everything in one bag, that carries the series' unique tone beautifully, and gosh that final episode is an amazing cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what he and Lynch have done with ol' Coop in The Return. 

2. Ray Wise as Leland Palmer - another amazing performance that builds up the mystery and intrigue around his character along some ol' kooky Lynchian quirks and humour, and makes his character's arc equal parts terrifying and heartbreaking. 

3. Richard Beymer as Benjamin Horne - loved his performance as a terrible and immoral individual who's just so loveable at the same time, everything he does whether it's slimy or well-intentioned or both is so entertaining, his dramatic moments are terrific as well, and I loved his whole arc of a bad man becoming a somewhat better father, if not necessarily a better man. 

4. Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne - sad to hear apparently she doesn't appear much in the new series because she's wonderful here, and I don't think the series treats her all that fairly though Lynch seems to love the character, heck by the finale she returns back to the great Audrey Horne heights which is being just the most endearing and engaging young lady who's so entertaining to watch whether she's blackmailing sleazy men or romancing Coop or just dancing, and she has great chemistry with almost everyone she interacts with on the show. 

5. Russ Tamblyn as Dr Lawrence Jacoby - a walking ball of bizzaro and I thoroughly loved every second of his absolutely bonkers performance as an absolutely bonkers doctor, hilarious comic relief but also surprisingly heartbreaking too at certain points. Any scene with him is a great scene. 

6. Dana Ashbrook as Bobby Briggs - kinda what Steve in Stranger Things should've been, he rides the perfect line between melodramatic bully that's pretty hilarious, and goofy and inept dumbass that's also very entertaining, but in his more serious dramatic moments especially with his onscreen father and Shelly he's just perfect as well. Could've been a very boring performance but he's one of the mot entertaining performers. 

7. Everett McGill as Ed Hurley - just a great performance throughout as perhaps the most honourable and righteous member of the Twin Peaks community, every dramatic moment with him and his romance with Norma has such gravitas, and he's hilarious as the straight man to Nadine as well. 

8. Sheryl Lee as Laura Palmer/Maddy Ferguson - such an amazing performance as both ladies with such limited material, and I can't wait to see Fire Walk With Me. How she jumps from being so haunting to so charming to so sympathetic to so terrifying is just incredible. 

9. Jack Nance as Pete Martell - shame that I already know I won't be seeing good ol' Pete again, he's such a delight as the lovable ol' goofy geezer who can make you smile with just his facial expressions, a sweet guy. Such great comedic timing and chemistry with his onscreen wife. 

10. Harry Goaz as Deputy Sheriff Andy Brennan - great comic relief throughout, all the law enforcement fellas work so well together it has to be said. Brennan's take on the clumsy but kindhearted deputy with a heart of gold is one of my favourites and he nails every moment with his earnest and just, though sometimes a bit inept, character. 

11. Piper Laurie as Catherine Martell - incisive, biting throughout with just the right amount of sweetness, though mostly artificial, and she's a perfect casting choice through and through as someone who'll get what she wants no matter what. Her more lighthearted moments are great too. 

12. Peggy Lipton as Norma Jennings - one of the great underrated performances of the series, including by myself at the beginning, as she really makes you care for her character's plight and delivers such a lovely, endearing but always very realistic and grounded performance that adds such gravitas. 

13. Kimmy Robertson as Lucy Moran - simple role but hilarious throughout with great chemistry with Goaz, Buchanan, and actually all the law enforcement individuals. Just her voice is bound to elicit some aws and chuckles, and makes Lucy one of the most sweet characters of Lynch and Frost. 

14. Michael Horse as Hawk - wonderful and unfussy performance, Horse is such a generous performer as he never tries to overshadow anyone but insteads amplifies everyone's performances with his low-key and always charismatic portrayal of a quiet badass. 

15. Mädchen Amick as Shelly Johnson - another great generous performance, as Amick just lights up the screen whenver she's on, she can be funny, she can be charming, she can be heartbreaking, and makes use of any given moment she has. Can't wait to see what's in store for her in Season 3. 

16. Joan Chen as Jocelyn Packard - she has a few slightly iffy moments in the beginning of the series and actually midway through when Josie is at her most innocent/ignorant-seeming, but when she fully embraces her manipulative, mysterious, desperate femme fatale side she's actually pretty great. 

17. Warren Frost as Dr. Will Hayward - a nice low-key performance as the kindhearted doc, I don't like what they do with his character later on in the series but it's not his fault and he does his best with it. 

18. Michael Ontkean as Sheriff Harry S. Truman - great all throughout the Laura Palmer mystery plot as the straight man, unfortunately later on in Season 2 he has some truly awful moments as the angry and drunken sheriff, but really those are nitpicks. He's mostly pretty great throughout as a perfect counterpoint to ol' Coop. 

19. James Marshall as James Hurley - hate to put him so low as I truly think he has some great scenes like of course 'Just You', and actually any scene involving him dealing with the Laura Palmer tragedy is fantastic. Unfortunately he later gets an exceptionally terrible subplot and then just disappears. I hope he's handled better in The Return. 

20. Eric Da Re as Leo Johnson - has the misfortune to be in a pretty thankless role as firstly the brute thug and later on the comatose thug and lastly, Frankenstein's monster with a conscience. I don't find he could do anything all that remarkable up till his final few episodes where I actually thought he was kind of moving. 

21. Kenneth Welsh as Windom Earle - he genuinely has some great sleazy moments as the more uncontrolled and menacing Windom, unfortunately most of the time he's way too goofy to be taken all that seriously. I'd have loved to see Terrence Stamp in the role. 

22. Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward - an up-and-down performance. Starts off pretty good as the grieving best friend, gets progressively worse and drops into some downright atrocious acting to begin season 2, thankfully she improves considerably later on in the series. Also, she does have a pretty good stretch of episodes with Harold Smith, though I'd say she's a bit overshadowed in those too. 

1 - 15 all great/very good and pretty much flawless, 16 - 19 with some low points but largely very good, 20 limited, and 21 and 22 with good moments but largely pretty flawed.

The guest stars:

1. Don S. Davis as Major Garland Briggs - amazing performance that is the mysterious major, the loving father, the endearingly weird conspiracy theorist, reminds me a bit of Roger Livesey as Colonel Blimp in a weird way, any scene with him is amazing especially his description of his dream to Bobby, and he might actually be my favourite performance scene-by-scene in the series, though Maclachlan and Wise would take the crown for the overall. I'm so glad that he came out alright. 

2. Miguel Ferrer as Special Agent Albert Rosenfield - one of the greatest deadpan comic performances I've ever seen, and it's great to see the jerkass from Robocop play such a different kind of jerkass. Every line of Albert's is pitch-perfect in delivery and writing, as every snarky comment hits just the right spot, and how he manages to make Albert somewhat moving in his own way is remarkable as well. I am so looking forward to see how he fares in Season 3. 

3. Al Strobel as Phillip Michael Gerard / MIKE ("The One-Armed Man") - glad he's in The Return too. A very terrifying but also strangely compelling performance as a truly twisted individual, but also one trying to do good, it shouldn't really work but Strobel makes it work perfectly. Also, those two voices, damn. 

4. Catherine E. Coulson as Margaret Lanterman ("The Log Lady") - amazing in every short scene she has, she's hilarious whenever she and her log are used for comic effect, but when her character is required to be utilized in a serious scene she knocks it out the park as well. Wish we got more of her and Major Briggs, actually. 

5. David Lynch as Bureau Chief Gordon Cole - well that was unexpected, I was expecting Lynch to play someone creepy and not the most heartwarming boss every, as he utilizes everything about his character's quirky condition and optimistic nature to full effect. 

6. David Patrick Kelly as Jerry Horne - him and Ben are one of my favourite duos ever, as they're so sleazy yet endearing together. In addition, by himself he has some great scenes like his ridiculous lawyer routine. 

7. Grace Zabriskie as Sarah Palmer - not in that many episodes and with limited screentime, but every moment she's onscreen is a magnificent portrayal of unhinged grief and resulting madness. 

8. Lenny Von Dohlen as Harold Smith - great performance that leaves an impact even with such few episodes. He amplifies Boyle's performance to such a great extent, and makes Harold such a sympathetic and touching presence, and his exit really has that appropriate haunting effect. 

9. Carel Struycken as The Giant - so much more than just a prop or visual touch to have a giant, as Struycken makes this otherwordly being such a compelling figure in so few scenes and with so little dialogue. 

10. Frank Silva as Killer BOB - inspired casting choice doesn't even come close to describing it, as BOB is really one of the most frightening creations of Lynch ever, and a large part of that goes to Silva's effortlessly scary performance that particularly excels in specific episodes where he goes full loony. 

11. Ian Buchanan as Dick Tremayne - Not Dean Stockwell is nevertheless the perfect replacement for him, I'd assume, Dick is just another bohemian classy sophisticate like Ben but also a complete sleaze, and every moment he's onscreen is a comic delight. I loved seeing him play off Goaz in particular. 

12. Hank Worden as The Elderly Room Service Waiter - his style works here perfectly as the kindly and slightly senile waiter, and when the revelations come it completely makes sense as well. 

13. Wendy Robie as Nadine Hurley - they overdo her story a bit towards the middle of season 2 but she's largely a pretty entertaining crazed woman and has some strangely endearing chemistry with McGill. A difficult role and she largely pulls it off, so well done. 

14. David Duchnovy as Denise Bryson - surprisingly unmannered in this sort of role, and it's definitely appreciated as Duchnovy delivers a great burst of comedic energy to every scene he's in. 

15. Michael J. Anderson as The Man from Another Place - every Red Room scene is great and he's a large part of why. Particularly great in the last episode; great performance though limited by screentime. 

16. Chris Mulkey as Hank Jennings - a good performance in a limited role as he brings out the right amount of thuggishness underlying a certain joviality in his exterior, he's one of the more obvious characters on the show but he does well with it. 

17. Dan O'Herlihy as Andrew Packard - liked his kooky portrayal as a less than ingenuous old man, they could have given him a bit more screentime with Josie and Pete in particular, but I liked his performance. 

18. James Booth as Ernie Niles - funny to see him as another cowardly sort after Zulu, although his character here doesn't have any real redemptive arc. Booth is a fairly good ball of sleaze and his last few appearances in the series are particualrly effective in showing an increasing desperation. 

19. Victoria Catlin as Blackie O'Reilly - a good performance as the sultry and manipulative sort, although I do think her story was cut off just when it began to get interesting. 

20. Gary Hershberger as Mike Nelson - ah, poor Mike, well he's a decent enough bully, a funny enough lover of Nadine's, and I do like his scenes with Ashbrook as well, so well done. 

21. David Warner as Thomas Eckhardt - underused, he should have played Windom Earle actually, but Warner effortlessly conveys the right amount of sleaze and twisted love for Josie in his few scenes. 

22. Mary Jo Deschanel as Eileen Hayward - barely anything to do throughout but I did quite like what she did with her character towards the end of Season 2. 

23. John Boylan as Mayor Dwayne Milford - actually liked his whole inept mayor routine to begin with but it soon became pretty tiresome. Not bad but a little bit of Dwayne went a long way. 

24. Michael Parks as Jean Renault - what a waste of a great actor, another one who could've played Windom, anyway Parks isn't really bad but Jean Renault is just such a boring villain. He's mildly meancing and kind of incisive in a way, but nothing too memorable. 

25. Robyn Lively as Lana Budding Milford - one of my least favourite characters. She's never truly bad but Lana's presence in the series just always takes away from more interesting subplots. 

26. Billy Zane as John Justice Wheeler - another awful character and honestly not fit to shine the shoes of Audrey, but Zane isn't terrible, not truly terrible anyway, he's just really bland. 

27. Annette McCarthy and Nicholas Love as Evelyn Marsh and Malcolm Sloan - the worst individual subplot in the whole thing and neither of them help matters, they really just turn Twin Peaks into a momentarily awful soap opera. 

28. Heather Graham as Annie Blackburn - her subplot isn't a waste since it does set up Cooper's entering the Lodge, however, her performance itself is absolutely grating not necessarily because Graham is truly awful, she's just very dull and nothing about her character or performance itself is compelling. 

1 - 9 are all amazing in their own ways, 10 - 15 all pretty great, 16 - 22 decent, 23 - 24 a mixed bag, 25 - 28 not very good. 

Top 15 Hans Zimmer Tracks

My first half of Hans Zimmer's top scores, #30 - #16. Zimmer's 60th is coming up tomorrow. An apt time to celebrate his top 15 individual tracks, I think.

15. 'Lagoon' - The Thin Red Line

One of Zimmer's most atmospheric and subtly tense pieces of music. It creates the vivid atmosphere of the lagoon as the camera traverses it in such a beautiful fashion. The trembling of the strings suggests an imbalance in the air to counter the beauteous effect of the music itself. It establishes the tone of the film incredibly well, and stands as one of Zimmer's most subdued yet masterful pieces.

14. Theme to The Rock

Believe it or not, Michael Bay used to be a decent filmmaker. Not nuanced by any stretch of the imagination, nor did he craft flawless films, but stuff like Bad Boys 2 and this are fun films to watch and kill time with. Zimmer delivers a score here that'd be fitting to a grand masterful men on a mission film, but it's equally well suited to this so-dumb-it's-so-good action film with no other than manic Nic Cage and Sean Connery in 'not giving a fuck in style' mood, not to mention Ed Harris also giving one of his best 'villainous' performances. The score begins in such a grandstanding military-esque fashion before proceeding into a heart-pounding action sequence theme, and every bit works exceptionally well.

13. 'A Way of Life' - The Last Samurai

Edward Zwick's fun and thoughtful samurai flick ends on actually a fairly unexpected note, it is a defeat of our heroes but in a way that almost seems uplifting due to what the samurai and their strength and resilience symbolized. It strangely works in large part due to the performances of Tom Cruise and Ken Watanabe, as well as Zimmer's calming and melancholic, bittersweet and peaceful music that concludes the film in an almost dream-like, zen-like trance.

12. ''Putting Ray to Bed' - Rain Man

My favourite part of this soundtrack is the incredibly moving music that first plays in the great scene between Charlie and Raymond where the latter reveals a key part of their shared past. It's a small little refrain that's repeated throughout the film at key emotional junctures, that employs the Japanese lute and pitch-perfect synthesizer sounds to show the comfort and bittersweetness of the two brothers finding peace and happiness in the quiestest moments with one another.

12.  'Molossus' - Batman Begins

While Danny Elfman's Batman score is the more iconic and undeniably more evocative score of what Batman symbolizes, Zimmer's score is no slouch, as it is absolutely perfect for Nolan's series. From the opening barrage of of percussion giving way to that unmistakable heroic theme, all the while continuing to pulsate with the rhythmic beats that amplify the tension in any given moment. Though it may not be the Batman theme, it is most certainly what comes to mind whenever one discusses Christopher Nolan's vision of the superhero. It stands alone as a very impressive achievement.

11. 'This Land' - The Lion King

The Lion King is not a flawless film, but it is an exceptional achievement on the whole, and Zimmer's talents are particularly well-equipped for this sort of score. It's worth noting that the score here is somewhat Star Wars-esque, and not just because it accompanies a scene with James Earl Jone's Mufasa addressing his son in the clouds. It is a deeply emotional and tearjerking tune that was supposedly written by Zimmer with the mindset of coming to terms with the death of his own father at a very young age. Of course not all is gloom and doom as it ends with Simba finding his purpose in life with the help of his father and Rafiki. A perfect song for the most emotionally complex moment in the film.

10. 'What Are You Going to Do When You Are Not Saving The World?' - Man of Steel

Blasphemous, perhaps, but this is probably my favourite Superman theme of them all. It just oozes the Man of Steel through its every pore. I really love how it's utilized at the end of the film, to make such a quiet resolution/wrap-up to the film's events that frankly seem to promise a much better sequel than what we got. This tune suggests Superman as a beacon of hope, a powerful symbol that sprung not just from his powers but from his courage and upbringing. It's a shame that they didn't really use this theme to build upon for the sequel, instead trying to darken things up unnecessarily for a hero who was never really about that life.

9. 'Time' - Inception

Perhaps one of the more overused pieces of music nowadays, that should do nothing to diminish the inherent power of it within the framework of Inception. The film's entire score is solid on the whole, whether it's the more awe-inspiring 'dreamy' scenes or the more tense 'action' sequences, or the blend of both. It's the final piece of music in the soundtrack though, which really is the crowning achievement of Zimmer. It brings everything full circle, along with Leonardo DiCaprio's acting, and earns the final deeply emotional moment completely. It's a grand and very fitting end to a very grand and awe-inspiring film.

8. 'Why Do We Fall?' - The Dark Knight Rises 

The Dark Knight Rises is not a flawless film, but this scene is one of Christopher Nolan's crowning achievements, and Zimmer plays a big part in it. Bruce getting out of the cave is already a very rousing scene in itself as we watch him defy the odds to save his city. Adding onto that is the chanting of the prisoners, a stroke of genius by Zimmer and Nolan. Then Zimmer's score as it ascends and 'rises' as we watch Bruce achieve the impossible, the unprecendeted just caps it all off. It's probably the most climactic moment in the whole film, and Zimmer's score is essential to its memorable quality.

7. 'King of Pride Rock' - The Lion King

I'm enclosing the extended version on the soundtrack here, but this particular piece is used at the very end of the film to bring the Circle of Life back into balance with Scar's demise and Simba's ascension to the throne. Although what one probably remembers most from the film are Tim Rice and Elton' John's lyrical songs, the power of Zimmer's work should not be forgotten either in making the ending of The Lion King a particularly rousing and upbeat one.

6. 'Supermarine' - Dunkirk 

A masterful piece of music that works brilliantly as an integrated part of the film, the use of the propellers and meshing of that fast-paced percussion sound makes us feel so in the moment of the battlefield. It's exceptional music that's like so much of Dunkirk, arguably simple in conception, but flawless in execution. It takes together extradiagetic and intradiagetic sounds together and meshes it into a perfect accompaniment to Nolan's recreation of a disordered battlefront.

5. 'Barbarian Horde' - Gladiator

I should note that the thematically similar 'The Battle' is also an excellent piece of music, but this piece takes the whole epic scale of the film, and the unbearable tension leading up, and during the barbarian horde duel in the Colosseum, to incredible levels. It helps that it accompanies one of the best battle scenes ever, but moreover is such a thrilling setpiece in itself. It goes through each of the motions of the battle with such a breakneck pace, and all culminates in the most truly rousing, victorious notes of victory.

2. 'Drink Up Me Hearties' - Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

Who doesn't know this theme tune? When one thinks Pirates, one instantly thinks of this insanely catchy score which screams adventure like few other scores do. It's such a great tune that it instantly amplifies some of the lesser scenes in later film, and the downright dreadful On Stranger Tides, just by playing in the background. It does so much heavy lifting in those later films of making scenes seem more exciting and epic than they actually are, and this cheat kind of works for the most part by how effective it is. It works pretty much in any swashbuckling context, and is a cinematic masterpiece all in itself. However, I should note that along with most of the Curse of the Black Pearl tracks, this piece was largely composed with Klaus Badelt, but it still stands as one of Zimmer's greatest creations in that he conceived of it in a demo to begin with. For a similarly excellent tune that's entirely Zimmer, check out 'Drink Up Me Hearties'.  It concludes what should've been the completed trilogy perfectly.

3. 'Light' - The Thin Red Line

Perhaps the most thoughtful and contemplative track in this soundtrack, verging on the point of prayer, is another theme which fits in perfectly with the cinematography of the film. I don't know much about the finer technicalities of music composition, but whatever Zimmer does here only serves to amplify John Toll's impeccable use of lighting, whether it's between the foliages of trees or the contrast of sky and land, sky and sea. The plucking of strings and soothing wind instruments all intertwine with one another to create so truly spellbinding musical motifs. It lures you into a false sense of security without ever feeling insincere, and can be seen as the track which gives the soldiers a peace of mind. It's deeply felt music which gradually turns from calm and introspective, into concerned and introspective, as the final minute or so of the song becomes more brooding and ruminative.

2. 'Elysium/Honor Him' - Gladiator

One of the most powerful endings of 21st Century cinema, and Zimmer's score is what really raises it up to that high tier. The visuals and acting, and the sparse and select, but memorable dialogue, naturally do their part, but it's Zimmer's score which makes it really hit home. 'Elysium' is so evocative of that dreamlike, heavenly state of mind and body in the afterlife where Maxmius finally finds peace, and is gently coerced to join his son and wife. Then we get the grand and tearjerking 'Honor Him' which perfectly encompasses all that Zimmer and Maximus have both achieved. I often watch the ending of the film just for inspiration when writing, plus it's just great music, plain and simple.

1. 'Journey to the Line' - The Thin Red Line

Underscoring the most haunting sequence in the film, as the soldiers infiltrate and invade a Japanese soldier's camp, this is actually in many ways a very simple piece of music, but also an extremely harrowing, beautiful, haunting, enlightening musical piece, all in one. It grants such a morally grey area for the conflict going on, reinforcing the film's theme that war is in itself the evil, and not the participants on either side. There's more than 4 minutes of buildup in the song, accompanying the nervous and tense trek of the soldiers as they sneak up on the enemy, and when the powerful notes of the song are unleashed it's so sudden, so explosive. 

Who should take over 'Star Wars: Episode IX' directing duties?

With Colin Trevorrow out over 'creative difficulties', who should take over the final installment of the new Star Wars trilogy?

Rian Johnson

The obvious choice, so it seems, since by all accounts The Last Jedi has pleased producers, it's going to be a financial hit no matter what, and there's been loads of hype around what he's done on Episode VIII. I'd say based on his previous cinematic work, which has always been solid to very good (Brick, Looper), and his ability to handle a breathtaking climax as evidenced in 'Ozymandias' in Breaking Bad, those along signal him to be a deft hand for the final installment. Whether he'll have enough energy after what must've been a strenuous production process is another matter.

Neill Blomkamp 

Maybe if Johnson just decides to work on the script, he'll find a perfect partner to direct in Blomkamp. District 9 is a science-fiction masterpiece, and though his subsequent films have suffered from an overwriting of themes, underwritten characters, and bland dialogue, this would be rectified if he focused primarily on just directing a great film. He might not work all that well within the constraints of Lucasfilm, though.

Bong Joon-ho

Okja and Snowpiercer have shown that Bong's distinctive style translates very well over to America. He might be too risky a move due to his very unique voice, but it could be a great film in his hands. I doubt he'd want to rush into production though, and would also want to add his own little touches into the script beforehand, but is that such a bad thing? I think not.

Guillermo del Toro

Will never happen since he'll most likely get into some sort of conflict regarding the time frame of filming, but del Toro is a visionary unlike any other nowadays, whose visual style is one of a kind. A Star Wars film directed by him would probably cost a boatload of money, more so than the norm, but would undoubtedly a feast for the eyes, and if we're looking at peak del Toro, with more than enough heart.

Gareth Evans
Not to be confused with Gareth Edwards. The Raid is a great example of a film that does so much world building and emotional investment on the go, through just the escalating tension and stakes throughout. Given that I expect The Last Jedi to have fully fleshed out most of the character dynamics and interactions, and plot developments to have fully kicked into motion, it might be a good idea to get a director who can propel these established aspects into a action-packed and suitably emotional finale.

Ang Lee

His last venture into blockbuster territory in Hulk wasn't terribly succesful, but I do think Ang Lee has it in him to make a great big budget, wide-appeal film. What's certainly unquestionable about Lee's talent is that he's one of the most versatile directors alive, able to do everything from Jane Austen period drama, to a martial arts drama, to a repressed family drama, to a Western romance, to a character study of a boy and a tiger. He can do it all, and that would mould him well into the Star Wars vision. He'd be flexible enough to Lucasfilm's demands while managing to find his own voice within these terms and conditions.

Sam Raimi

An extremely unlikely choice given that his last blockbuster, Oz The Great and the Powerful was a bit of a misfire, and he's probably grown a bit disillusioned with working alongside big studios. But hey - the man reinvented a lot of things about blockbuster filmmaking with his first two Spider-Man films, and if they give him enough creative control I can see him crafting a special final installment.

Mel Gibson

An extremely unlikely choice given the likely controversy, as well as the man's own renowned dislike of big-budget Hollywood stuff. But Gibson is a great director who's best talent is bringing his films epic grandeur and epic closure. That sort of talent would seem fitting to Episode IX.

Brad Bird

He's going to be way too busy with The Incredibles 2 (and rightly so - we've been waiting for ages). Without taking that into consideration, he seems like the perfect choice for a Star Wars movie as he's so good at making just plain entertaining, crowd-pleasing and high quality blockbusters.

Taika Waititi

Looks like Thor: Ragnorak is going to be a delight to watch, and also shows that Waititi's impressed Hollywood enough that they've allowed him to work on his own sort of thing with their budgets. He's probably going to want to go back to his indie roots for a while after this, but if not, there's a job slot opening mate.

David McKenzie

And for a decidedly more leftfield choice, we have David McKenzie. The only films I've seen of his are Starred Up and Hell or High Water. Both a very good films, and show a director who knows how to let his actors thrive, and let the story flow very well through the visuals. I can imagine him perhaps being slightly daunted by the scale of Star Wars, but I'd really love to see if he can handle it.

Ava Duvernay

Well, she has A Wrinkle in Time as a trial run for Disney if she really wants to do their next big project. I think she'll probably want to stick to making her more smaller-scale and socially conscious features, which is fine since she's great at that (Selma is excellent). But I would definitely like to see her Star Wars if A Wrinkle in Time proves to be a hit and crowd pleaser.

Michael Mann

It seems like ages since the last time Mann made a good, let alone great film. I don't exactly know how well his style would translate to a space opera, but it'd be interesting to see at the very least.

Kathryn Bigelow

Yeah, I know I've been mentioning her name A LOT lately, and this is highly unlikely. And honestly, the film most suited to her talents would've probably been Rogue One. But hey, she's solidified herself as one of the best directors nowadays, and I'd dig how she'd take on a huge blockbuster franchise.

David Lynch 

This will never happen. But holy smokes, imagine if Lynch suddenly decided he wanted to make a Star Wars film? I can see it now - Oscar Isaac lip-syncing and dancing to the Cantina song with lyrics dedicated to the fallen Han Solo, while Adam Driver tearfully glowers nearby. Among other things.

Jim Jarmusch

Okay. No. Never, you say. But if you've seen Paterson and seen what a harmonious team Adam Driver and Jarmusch make, surely you wouldn't be averse to a final installment involving Kylo Ren driving around in a podracer, writing Force poetry, and living a quiet life away from all the chaos of the galaxy far, far away.