Martin Scorsese and 14 Other Directors Over 80 Still Making Movies (Photos)

Martin Scorsese is drawing raves for his latest film, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and the nearly 81-year-old is not the only Hollywood veteran who’s still making movies.

Ridley Scott, who turns 86 in November, has “Napoleon” out that same month while Clint Eastwood and Francis Ford Coppola both have new films in the works.

Here are 15 directors over 80 who are still busy making movies. (And if you’re wondering why we’ve left off Steven Spielberg, he’s a relatively youthful 76.)

Martin Scorsese, 80

The prolific director of “Goodfellas,” and “The Departed” just released his latest epic, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” which reteams him with Leonardo DiCaprio. He also returned to documentaries with 2022’s “Personality Crisis: One Night Only,” about New York Dolls lead singer David Johansen.

Margarethe von Trotta, 81

The leading New German Cinema director just released her latest, “Ingeborg Bachmann – Journey Into the Desert,” about the relationship between Austrian poet Ingeborg Bachmann and Swiss novelist Max Frisch. Her previous films include 1975’s “The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum,” co-directed with Volker Schlöndorff, and 2012’s “Hannah Arendt.”

Werner Herzog, 81

The German director, who has been making films since the 1960s, had two films out in 2022: “Theatre of Thought,” and the documentary “The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia and Maurice Krafft,” about the late volcanologists. 

Stephen Frears, 82

The British director of “The Queen” and “Dangerous Liaisons” released “The Lost King” in 2022, which stars Steve Coogan and Sally Hawkins. He’s also got the HBO miniseries “The Regime” with Kate Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts and Hugh Grant, coming up in 2024.

Charles Shyer, 82

The helmer of the Steve Martin “Father of the Bride” films and “Baby Boom” recently directed the 2022 Christmas movie “The Noel Diary.”

Brian De Palma, 83

The “Untouchables” and “Carrie” director is in pre-production for his next film, “Sweet Vengeance,” a murder mystery thought to be based on two real-life killings. It will star “Shining Girls” actor Wagner Moura.

Francis Ford Coppola, 84

The man behind ’70s classics “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now” is working on passion project “Megalopolis,” whose star-studded cast includes Adam Driver, Forest Whitaker, Aubrey Plaza and Talia Shire. In August, the project received an interim agreement to film during the SAG-AFTRA strike.

Volker Schlöndorff, 84

The “Tin Drum” director’s latest film, the documentary “The Forest Maker,” is about reforestation pioneer Tony Rinaudo.

Ridley Scott, 85

The “Gladiator” and “Alien” helmer had two films in 2021: “House of Gucci” and “The Last Duel.” His historical epic “Napoleon,” which stars Joaquin Phoenix as the famous French leader, is out on Nov. 22. His next project, a “Gladiator” sequel, is currently set for a release date of  Nov. 22, 2024.

Woody Allen, 87

Last year, the “Annie Hall” director clarified that he is not retiring, despite his outcast status in Hollywood. His newest film, “Coup de Chance,” which was filmed in Paris and features a French cast, was released in September. He turns 88 in November.

Costa-Gavras, 90

The Greek-French director of 1969 political thriller “Z” and the 1982 drama “Missing” directed, wrote, and edited “Adults in the Room” in 2019.

Roman Polanski, 90

Despite fleeing Hollywood in 1978 rather than face rape charges and being kicked out of the Academy in 2018, the French-based director is still making movies. His latest, “The Palace,” which stars Mickey Rourke, Joaquim de Almeida, and John Cleese, premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September.

Clint Eastwood, 93

The two-time Best Director Oscar winner’s 39th feature film was 2021’s “Cry Macho,” in which he also starred. His next project is “Juror #2,” starring Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette.

Frederick Wiseman, 93

In 2022, the celebrated documentarian, who turns 94 in January, released the French drama “A Couple,” about novelist Leo Tolstoy and his wife. He also had a role in Rebecca Zlotowski’s “Other People’s Children.”

James Ivory, 95

The writer and director, who was one-half of the British filmmaking team Merchant/Ivory, won his first Oscar for his adapted screenplay for 2017’s “Call Me By Your Name.” He also co-directed and narrated 2022 documentary memoir “A Cooler Climate,” which played the New York Film Festival.

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