Get your popcorn ready, Slackers!

We all know the legendary names—Spielberg, Scorsese, Raimi—directors who kicked off in the 1970s and kept crafting cinematic masterpieces for decades. But what about the filmmakers who delivered massive hits yet couldn’t sustain the magic? For one reason or another—whether it was a lack of the right scripts, budgets, or staying power—their box office glory faded.

Take names like John Badham, Michael Cimino, and Don Bluth. They created undeniable classics, films that some might argue defined entire decades. Yet, despite these triumphs, their success was fleeting, and they struggled to recapture that spark.

We’re diving into directors behind major hits and beloved movies that’ll have you saying, “That was one of my favorites!” or “They directed all those?!” These filmmakers made waves but, for whatever reason, didn’t cement their place among the all-time greats—whatever “great” even means.