The Saturn Award for Best Director (or Saturn Award for Best Direction) is one of the annual awards given by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films. The Saturn Awards, which are the oldest film-specialized awards to reward genre fiction achievements, in particular for science fiction, fantasy, and horror (the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation is the oldest award for science fiction and fantasy films), included the Best Director category for the first time at the 3rd Saturn Awards, for the 1974/1975 film years.
History The award is also the oldest to honor film directors in science fiction, fantasy and horror. It has been given 36 times, including a tie for the 1977 film year.
James Cameron holds the record of the most wins with seven (for eight nominations), while Steven Spielberg is the most nominated director with fourteen nominations (for four wins). Only three other directors have won the award more than once: Peter Jackson (three times), Bryan Singer and Ridley Scott (two times). As of 2026, Cameron is the only director to have won the award two years in a row (having won at both the 17th and 18th ceremonies for The Abyss and Terminator 2: Judgment Day, respectively). Spielberg is the only director to win at least one award in four consecutive decades, while Cameron has won awards in four non consecutive decades and is the only director to win multiple awards in multiple decades (winning two in the 80s, 90s, and 20s).
At the 22nd Saturn Awards, Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the award, and is one of three female directors to win the award (the others being Lana and Lily Wachowski). Roland Emmerich became the first of four LGBTQ person to win the award at the 23rd ceremony (the others being the Wachowskis and Singer). To date the Wachowskis are the only transgender filmmakers to win the award, but were not out as such at the time of their victory. John Woo became the first person of Asian descent to win the award at the 24th ceremony and Ryan Coogler became the first African-American to win the award at the 44th ceremony.
Winners and nominees
1970s Year Director FilmMel BrooksYoung FrankensteinDan CurtisBurnt OfferingsGeorge LucasStar Wars Steven SpielbergClose Encounters of the Third Kind Nicolas Gessner The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane Carl Reiner Oh, God! Don Taylor The Island of Dr. MoreauPhilip KaufmanInvasion of the Body Snatchers Warren Beatty and Buck Henry Heaven Can Wait Richard Donner Superman Robin Hardy The Wicker Man Franklin J. Schaffner The Boys from BrazilRidley ScottAlien John Badham Dracula Nicholas Meyer Time After Time Peter Weir The Last Wave Robert Wise Star Trek: The Motion Picture
1980s Year Director Film Irvin Kershner The Empire Strikes Back Brian De Palma Dressed to Kill Stanley Kubrick The Shining Ken Russell Altered States Vernon Zimmerman Fade to Black Steven Spielberg Raiders of the Lost Ark John Boorman Excalibur John Carpenter Escape from New York Terry Gilliam Time Bandits Michael Wadleigh Wolfen Nicholas Meyer Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Tobe Hooper Poltergeist George Miller Mad Max 2 Ridley Scott Blade Runner Steven Spielberg E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial John Badham WarGames Woody Allen Zelig David Cronenberg The Dead Zone Richard Marquand Return of the Jedi Douglas Trumbull Brainstorm Joe Dante Gremlins James Cameron The Terminator Ron Howard Splash Leonard Nimoy Star Trek III: The Search for Spock Steven Spielberg Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Ron Howard Cocoon Woody Allen The Purple Rose of Cairo Tom Holland Fright Night George Miller Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Dan O'Bannon The Return of the Living Dead Robert Zemeckis Back to the Future James Cameron Aliens John Badham Short Circuit David Cronenberg The Fly Randal Kleiser Flight of the Navigator Leonard Nimoy Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Paul VerhoevenRoboCop Kathryn Bigelow Near Dark Joe Dante Innerspace William Dear Harry and the Hendersons Jack Sholder The Hidden Stan Winston Pumpkinhead Robert Zemeckis Who Framed Roger Rabbit Tim Burton Beetlejuice Renny Harlin A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master Anthony Hickox Waxwork Penny Marshall Big Charles Matthau Doin' Time on Planet Earth James Cameron The Abyss Clive Barker Nightbreed Joe Dante Gremlins 2: The New Batch Alejandro Jodorowsky Santa Sangre Frank Marshall Arachnophobia Sam Raimi Darkman Paul Verhoeven Total Recall Robert Zemeckis Back to the Future Part III Jerry Zucker Ghost
1990s Year Director Film James Cameron Terminator 2: Judgment Day Roger Corman Frankenstein Unbound William Dear If Looks Could Kill Jonathan Demme The Silence of the Lambs Terry Gilliam The Fisher King Eric Red Body Parts Francis Ford Coppola Bram Stoker's Dracula Tim Burton Batman Returns David Fincher Alien 3 William Friedkin Rampage Randal Kleiser Honey, I Blew Up the Kid Paul Verhoeven Basic Instinct Robert Zemeckis Death Becomes Her Steven Spielberg Jurassic Park John McTiernan Last Action Hero Harold Ramis Groundhog Day George A. Romero The Dark Half Henry Selick The Nightmare Before Christmas Ron Underwood Heart and Souls John Woo Hard Target James Cameron True Lies William Dear Angels in the Outfield Jan de Bont Speed Neil Jordan Interview with the Vampire Alex Proyas The Crow Robert Zemeckis Forrest Gump Kathryn Bigelow Strange Days David Fincher Seven Terry Gilliam 12 Monkeys Joe Johnston Jumanji Frank Marshall Congo Robert Rodriguez From Dusk till Dawn Bryan Singer The Usual Suspects Roland Emmerich Independence Day Tim Burton Mars Attacks! Joel Coen Fargo Wes Craven Scream Jonathan Frakes Star Trek: First Contact Peter Jackson The Frighteners John WooFace/Off Jean-Pierre Jeunet Alien: Resurrection Barry Sonnenfeld Men in Black Steven Spielberg The Lost World: Jurassic Park Paul Verhoeven Starship Troopers Robert Zemeckis Contact Michael Bay Armageddon Rob Bowman The X-Files Roland Emmerich Godzilla Alex Proyas Dark City Bryan Singer Apt Pupil Peter Weir The Truman Show The Wachowskis The Matrix Tim Burton Sleepy Hollow Frank Darabont The Green Mile George Lucas Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace Dean Parisot Galaxy Quest Stephen Sommers The Mummy
2000s Year Director Film Bryan Singer X-Men Clint Eastwood Space Cowboys Ron Howard How the Grinch Stole Christmas Ang Lee Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Ridley Scott Gladiator Robert Zemeckis What Lies Beneath Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Alejandro Amenábar The Others Chris Columbus Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Christophe Gans Brotherhood of the Wolf David Lynch Mulholland Drive Steven Spielberg A.I. Artificial Intelligence Steven Spielberg Minority Report Chris Columbus Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers George Lucas Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones Bill Paxton Frailty Sam Raimi Spider-Man Peter Jackson The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Danny Boyle 28 Days Later Bryan Singer X2 Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill: Volume 1 Gore Verbinski Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Edward Zwick The Last Samurai Sam Raimi Spider-Man 2 Alfonso Cuarón Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Michel Gondry Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind Michael Mann Collateral Quentin Tarantino Kill Bill: Volume 2 Zhang Yimou House of Flying Daggers Peter Jackson King Kong Andrew Adamson The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe George Lucas Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith Mike Newell Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Christopher Nolan Batman Begins Steven Spielberg War of the Worlds Bryan Singer Superman Returns J. J. Abrams Mission: Impossible III Alfonso Cuarón Children of Men Guillermo del Toro Pan's Labyrinth Mel Gibson Apocalypto Tom Tykwer Perfume: The Story of a Murderer Zack Snyder 300 Tim Burton Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Frank Darabont The Mist Paul Greengrass The Bourne Ultimatum Sam Raimi Spider-Man 3 David Yates Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Jon Favreau Iron Man Clint Eastwood Changeling David Fincher The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Christopher Nolan The Dark Knight Bryan Singer Valkyrie Steven Spielberg Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Andrew Stanton WALL-E James CameronAvatar J. J. Abrams Star Trek Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker Neill Blomkamp District 9 Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes Zack Snyder Watchmen Quentin Tarantino Inglourious Basterds
2010s Year Director Film Christopher Nolan Inception Darren Aronofsky Black Swan Clint Eastwood Hereafter Matt Reeves Let Me In Martin Scorsese Shutter Island David Yates Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 J. J. Abrams Super 8 Brad Bird Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol Martin Scorsese Hugo Steven Spielberg The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn Rupert Wyatt Rise of the Planet of the Apes David Yates Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 Joss Whedon The Avengers William Friedkin Killer Joe Peter Jackson The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Rian Johnson Looper Ang Lee Life of Pi Christopher Nolan The Dark Knight Rises Alfonso Cuarón Gravity J. J. Abrams Star Trek Into Darkness Peter Berg Lone Survivor Guillermo del Toro Pacific Rim Peter Jackson The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Francis Lawrence The Hunger Games: Catching Fire James Gunn Guardians of the Galaxy Alejandro G. Iñárritu Birdman Doug Liman Edge of Tomorrow Christopher Nolan Interstellar Matt Reeves Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Anthony and Joe Russo Captain America: The Winter Soldier Bryan Singer X-Men: Days of Future Past Ridley Scott The Martian J. J. Abrams Star Wars: The Force Awakens Guillermo del Toro Crimson Peak Alex Garland Ex Machina George Miller Mad Max: Fury Road Peyton Reed Ant-Man Colin Trevorrow Jurassic World Gareth Edwards Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Scott Derrickson Doctor Strange Jon Favreau The Jungle Book Anthony and Joe Russo Captain America: Civil War Bryan Singer X-Men: Apocalypse Steven Spielberg The BFG Denis Villeneuve Arrival Ryan Coogler Black Panther Guillermo del Toro The Shape of Water Patty Jenkins Wonder Woman Rian Johnson Star Wars: The Last Jedi Jordan Peele Get Out Matt Reeves War for the Planet of the Apes Denis Villeneuve Blade Runner 2049 Jordan Peele Us Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck Captain Marvel Karyn Kusama Destroyer Guy Ritchie Aladdin Anthony and Joe Russo Avengers: Endgame Steven Spielberg Ready Player One James Wan Aquaman Zhang Yimou Shadow J. J. Abrams Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Niki Caro Mulan Mike Flanagan Doctor Sleep Christopher Nolan Tenet Gina Prince-Bythewood The Old Guard Quentin Tarantino Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Leigh Whannell The Invisible Man
2020s Year Director Film Matt Reeves The Batman Guillermo del Toro Nightmare Alley Joseph Kosinski Top Gun: Maverick Jordan Peele Nope S. S. Rajamouli RRR Steven Spielberg West Side Story Jon Watts Spider-Man: No Way Home James Cameron Avatar: The Way of Water Greta Gerwig Barbie James Gunn Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 James Mangold Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Mark Mylod The Menu Christopher Nolan Oppenheimer Danny and Michael Philippou Talk to Me Denis Villeneuve Dune: Part Two Fede Álvarez Alien: Romulus Wes Ball Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Tim Burton Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Shawn Levy Deadpool & Wolverine JT Mollner Strange Darling Takashi Yamazaki Godzilla: Minus One James CameronAvatar: Fire and Ash Ryan Coogler Sinners Guillermo del Toro Frankenstein James Gunn Superman Christopher McQuarrie Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Matt Shakman The Fantastic Four: First Steps Dan Trachtenberg Predator: Badlands
Multiple nominations
14 nominations Steven Spielberg
8 nominations James Cameron Bryan Singer
7 nominations Peter Jackson Christopher Nolan Robert Zemeckis
6 nominations J. J. Abrams Tim Burton Guillermo del Toro
4 nominations George Lucas Sam Raimi Matt Reeves Ridley Scott