Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is something many people were waiting anxiously for – or at the very least, I was. Since it was announced, the idea that one of the masters of horror and fantasy was going to create an anthology series featuring a new cast, a new director, and a new story each episode was fascinating. Finally, the series premiered on October 25th, 2022.
It’s gotten critical praise from everywhere and has a stellar Cabinet of Curiosities cast, but while we could go on for hours about how talented this cast is, let’s give a little light to the directors. What really made the series so great was that it wasn’t afraid to create something completely different from one episode to the next, and that’s partially because every episode was directed by a different director. If you want to know what to watch next if you like the Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities directors, be sure to check out our list down below.
Jennifer Kent - The Murmuring
Starting off strong, we take a look at Jennifer Kent, who directed “The Murmuring” in Cabinet of Curiosities. Like many of the other directors here, this isn’t Kent’s first time in the directing chair when it comes to horror, as one of her most famous films that you should certainly check out is The Babadook. It’s one of the best horror films of the last decade.
Kent also released a movie in 2018, titled The Nightingale, and directed the film Monster, so you know that she has had her hands full when it comes to horror and thrillers. Kent also directed an episode of Two Twisted, called “Love Crimes.”
Guillermo Navarro - Lot 36
Guillermo Navarro directed “Lot 36” of Cabinet of Curiosities, but this isn’t his first time in the director’s chair for a television show. He has done work for series such as Hannibal, Preacher, Narcos and even the Marvel Netflix show, Luke Cage. He was even nominated for a Primetime Emmy award for his producing work on the show, Hostile Planet.
Navarro is someone who is actually very close to Guillermo del Toro, as he also worked on many of the director's films, including doing the cinematography for the dark fantasy film, Pan’s Labyrinth, arguably one of del Toro’s most recognizable films. He also worked on movies like Hellboy, Night at the Museum, Zathura: A Space Adventure, and Pacific Rim.
Panos Cosmatos - The Viewing
Panos Cosmatos directed the seventh episode of Cabinet of Curiosities, titled “The Viewing.” Cosmotos is mostly known for his two directorial features. The first is Beyond the Black Rainbow, which is a science fiction horror film, and Mandy, an action horror film starring Nicolas Cage.
David Prior - The Autopsy
Before directing “The Autopsy” for Cabinet of Curiosities, David Prior has worked plenty as a director. He’s probably most known for directing the supernatural horror film, The Empty Man, which follows a cop who is looking for a lost girl, but uncovers a cult in the process.
Prior also directed, wrote, and produced AM1200, a thriller that happens because of a strange radio call in the middle of the night, and produced the television series, Voir, which documented video essays on cinema. He certainly has a diverse background, that is for sure.
Keith Thomas - Pickman’s Model
“Pickman’s Model” featured plenty of great stars, including Shadow and Bone cast member, Ben Barnes, creating a powerful and eerie story about how art can change someone, and it was directed by Keith Thomas.
Thomas has directed a couple of films. Most recently, he directed the 2022 remake of Stephen King’s Firestarter, one of the many adaptations that the famous horror author is known for. One of Thomas’ more known features is The Vigil, a supernatural horror film that follows a young man tasked to keep vigil over someone’s dead body as he is attacked by an evil spirit.
Catherine Hardwicke - Dreams In The Witch House
“Dreams in the Witch House,” starring Harry Potter cast member Rupert Grint, was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, and she has had plenty of work in Hollywood before directing for Cabinet of Curiosities. While Hardwicke got her directing start working on the film Thirteen, she got even more famous down the line when she directed the first movie in the Twilight franchise. That’s right, she directed the movie that started the big screen Twilight craze.
Other than that, she’s directed several other movies, including Lords of Dogtown, The Nativity Story, the Amanda Seyfried-starring film, Red Riding Hood, Plus, Miss You Already, The Black Ghiandola, and Miss Bala. As recently as 2022, she worked as an executive producer on the psychological thriller, Don’t Worry Darling.
Vincenzo Natali - Graveyard Rats
“Graveyard Rats” was hands down one of my favorite episodes of Cabinet of Curiosities, and I have to give a lot of praise to the director, Vincenzo Natali. The director has several films that you should check out, including Cube, Cypher, Nothing, and Haunted.
A movie I love that he did was the Stephen King adaptation, In the Tall Grass, which anyone should check out if they enjoy horror.
Natali has also directed several episodes of TV shows such as The Stand, American Gods, Westworld and more. Personally, one of my favorites that he’s done is “Gone Sis” in the horror series, Hannibal. He’s certainly a talented director.
Ana Lily Amirpour - The Outside
Last but not least, we need to take a look at Ana Lily Amirpour, who directed the episode, “The Outside,” a tale about a young woman who just wanted to be beautiful like other girls. Ana Lily Amirpour has directed three films, including A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, The Bad Batch and Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, three films you should definitely check out.
She also directed several episodes of television, including “Past Perfect” for Castle Rock, and two episodes of the Paramount+ original show, The Twilight Zone, specifically “A Traveler,” starring Steven Yeun, and “Ovation.”
With so many talented directors, it’s no wonder that they’ve done so many amazing projects that you all should check out as soon as possible. I think it’s time for a binging weekend.
