Who is the greatest Sci-Fi director?

...round two

First topic is a sloppy, rushed one, and it'll probably be closed just as fast

The Academy has released its list of the 10 most influential Sci-Fi films, laid out chronologically:

A Trip to the Moon - Georges Méliès
Metropolis - Fritz Lang
2001: A Space Odyssey - Stanley Kubrick
Close Encounters of the Third Kind - Steven Spielberg
Star Wars - George Lucas
Star Trek: The Motion Picture - Robert Wise
Alien - Ridley Scott
Blade Runner - Ridley Scott
E.T. - Steven Spielberg
The Matrix - The Wachowskis

Three directors jump out as the heavy hitters on this list, so I'm asking you all... who do you think is the GOAT?

For me, it's Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott because of Blade Runner

You clearly have a thing for John Carpenter (They Live, The Thing), Stanley Kubrick (2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange), and Terry Gilliam (Brazil, 12 Monkeys)

Jonathan Frakes - Star Trek : First Contact. 🙏 😁

unnamed, Jonathan Frakes is absolutely spot on here!

Roland Emmerich - Godzilla 🙏

Nicholas Meyer - Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is easily the best Sci-Fi film out there. I've lost count of how many times I've watched it.

James Cameron

Star Wars - George Lucas, i
Alien - Ridley Scott

James Cameron 🙂

Alex Long8 said:Nicholas Meyer's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is hands down the best Sci-Fi movie ever made; I've seen it like six times now.

It's worth noting that Nicholas Meyer also directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. 🙂

Stanley Kubrick, out of everyone mentioned here.

Frank Moore4 said:Jonathan Frakes - Star Trek : First Contact.

🙏👍 I had almost completely forgotten about this movie—now I'm remembering exactly why I love Star Trek so much.🙂

Ridley Scott and Stanley Kubrick stand as the true architects of serious Sci-Fi.

Meanwhile, I suppose one could view Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as the primary pioneers of pop-Sci-Fi.

I honestly could never get into Close Encounters of the Third Kind... that movie just always gave me the creeps, you know?

Ridley Scott and George Lucas, hands down, though I’ve gotta give my vote to The Wachowskis. Maybe it's just because The Matrix was such a total revolution for cinema in general, and I'm honestly hoping they pull off something that massive again... I know plenty of people don't see it that way, but that movie hit me harder than I ever expected.
Still, every director mentioned in this poll is a legend in the Sci-Fi genre with a completely different style, so there's no single "best" one in my book.

Ridley Scott because of Alien and, for me, the absolute best Blade Runner😁

Where the hell is James Cameron? - legend

James Cameron, who probably wouldn't dare to go unnamed with Avatar...

James Cameron, and for God's sake, why on earth isn't he one of the options provided?

It’s got to be James Cameron. Even if you only count his two real heavy hitters—and I’m counting Avatar in that group. Terminator 1 and 2 are easily the peak of the Sci-Fi genre because they actually carry genuine tragedy. Most of the movies mentioned in the opening post feel like glorified picture books for kids (with the exception of Alien and Blade Runner). Now, don't get me wrong, there are some very good picture books out there. I’m thinking specifically of Star Wars; it’s a beautiful space opera, but in terms of raw weight, no single scene comes close to the moment in T1 where Kyle Reese explains the fate of humanity in that parking garage, or even that opening sequence in T2. It’s a shame you didn't include Cameron; he probably would have taken the top spot.

I’m honestly dying to know where Cameron is hiding right now, because if I had my way, I’d be casting my vote for him in a heartbeat! We absolutely cannot overlook his legacy—I mean, just look at the impact of Aliens, T1, T2, The Abyss, and let’s not even get started on the highly anticipated Avatar sequel coming our way soon.