There is something wildly satisfying about watching an actor you have known forever suddenly say, “Okay, my turn,” and step behind the camera. The best actor-directors do not just deliver pretty shots. They use their years of living inside characters to pull out moments that feel painfully real, even when the budget is tiny and the story is quiet.
One important note before we get into it: the phrase “indie” gets thrown around so loosely now that it basically means “not a superhero movie.” So I am tightening the frame. This list is focused on actor-directors with auteur-leaning projects: festival-friendly, character-first films, or smaller prestige plays that live in the same ecosystem as indie cinema, even when the financing is bigger than the word “indie” suggests.
Below are seven A-list actors directing films that are titled and publicly reported as upcoming right now, plus what they are, what is currently public about release timing, and why they are already on my must-watch list. A few of these are still in active development, so consider this a trackable watchlist, not a promise carved into stone.
1) Scarlett Johansson
Project: Eleanor the Great
- What it is: Johansson’s feature directorial debut (as director), a character-driven drama starring June Squibb.
- Release window: No release date has been publicly announced.
- One concrete detail: June Squibb is the lead, which is all I needed to hear to immediately trust the assignment.
- Why you should watch: Johansson has spent her entire career threading the needle between movie-star scale and deeply interior performances. That combination can be magic for a smaller film, especially if the story leans into texture, grief, humor, and the small decisions that change a life.
Chloe take: If this hits a major festival, I am already bracing myself for “quietly devastating” reviews and at least one supporting performance that turns into a full-on internet fixation.
2) Kristen Stewart
Project: The Chronology of Water
- What it is: Stewart’s feature directorial debut, adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir.
- Release window: No release date has been publicly announced.
- One concrete detail: Source material is Yuknavitch’s memoir, which tends to signal the kind of adaptation that refuses to be polite.
- Why you should watch: Stewart has never been afraid of messy, raw material. Her taste as an actor skews daring, and this story is deeply personal and emotionally intense, which is exactly the kind of project that can turn a debut director into a real force.
Chloe take: Prepare for something bold, unsanitized, and very much not designed to be easy viewing. That is a compliment.
3) Maggie Gyllenhaal
Project: The Bride!
- What it is: Gyllenhaal’s next feature as director, a genre-forward riff on the Bride of Frankenstein mythos starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley.
- Release window: Currently scheduled for theatrical release on September 26, 2025 (subject to change).
- One concrete detail: Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley headlining is the kind of casting that suggests this is going for fever-dream prestige, not background-noise horror.
- Why you should watch: After The Lost Daughter, she has earned serious trust as a director who can make interior chaos look elegant without making it feel safe. A bigger canvas should only sharpen that skill, especially if she keeps the focus on longing, identity, and the quiet violence of being misunderstood.
Chloe take: I love when a director with taste and nerve chooses a familiar monster and treats her like a person. That is how you get a movie that haunts you in a good way.
4) Ben Affleck
Project: Animals
- What it is: A crime thriller that has been publicly reported as directed by Affleck, with Matt Damon attached to co-star.
- Release window: No release date has been publicly announced.
- One concrete detail: Damon being in the mix makes this feel like an “adult movie for adults” in the best possible way.
- Why you should watch: This is not microbudget indie territory, and I am not going to pretend it is. But it is director-driven adult storytelling, and Affleck’s best work behind the camera tends to be about one bad decision and the ugly math that follows.
Chloe take: If the trailer promises “smart and tense,” I will be first in line for the matinee with an iced coffee and zero shame.
5) Olivia Wilde
Project: Avengelyne
- What it is: Wilde’s long-discussed adaptation of the Avengelyne comic character, publicly reported as in development.
- Release window: In development, so no release date has been publicly announced.
- One concrete detail: This one is earlier-stage than the others. Think “watchlist item,” not “festival slot any minute now.”
- Why you should watch: The most interesting version of Wilde as a director is the one who is willing to let a movie be messy, funny, and human. A heightened property like this can go either way, but it also gives her room to swing visually and build a distinct tone.
Chloe take: If she keeps the character focus front and center and does not sand down the edges, this could be a very fun, very sharp pivot into pop territory.
6) Jonah Hill
Project: Outcome
- What it is: Hill’s next directing project, reported by trades as a feature with Keanu Reeves attached, with Apple connected as a producing or distributing home.
- Release window: No release date has been publicly announced.
- One concrete detail: Reeves in a Jonah Hill-directed movie is such a specific vibe that I am instantly curious about what the tone is going to be.
- Why you should watch: This is big-platform territory, but Hill’s filmmaking instincts so far skew intimate and specific. That sensibility can still show up inside a larger machine if he protects the small human beats.
Chloe take: I love when actor-directors pick stories that feel personal instead of careerist. If Hill keeps that Mid90s honesty, I am in.
7) Bradley Cooper
Project: Is This Thing On?
- What it is: Cooper’s next directing project, publicly reported as set up at Searchlight Pictures.
- Release window: No release date has been publicly announced.
- One concrete detail: Searchlight backing is often a tell that the endgame is prestige, not chaos, even if the story gets emotionally messy.
- Why you should watch: Cooper is meticulous, and films benefit when a director is obsessed with detail. Even when you do not agree with every choice, you can feel the intention, and intention is basically half the battle with adult drama.
Chloe take: The title alone sounds like a text you send at 1:12 a.m. when you are pretending you are fine. That is my favorite genre of adult storytelling.
How to watch
If you want to catch the buzziest titles before your group chat spoils the ending, here is the move:
- Track the festival circuit: Telluride, TIFF, Venice, Sundance, SXSW, and Cannes often determine what becomes the film everyone is talking about.
- Get on the lists: Follow festival lineup announcements, distributor newsletters, and your local indie theater email list. Those three things will beat the algorithm every time.
- Watch for platform releases: Many character-driven films start in LA and New York before expanding, so keep an eye on your local indie theaters.
- Streaming is inevitable, but timing matters: If a film hits streaming after a limited run, that first wave is when the conversation is loudest and the interviews are best.
And because I am who I am: yes, I will be watching at least one of these wrapped in a blanket, pretending it is “research,” with Barnaby judging my screen time from the couch.
Quick recap
- Scarlett Johansson: Eleanor the Great
- Kristen Stewart: The Chronology of Water
- Maggie Gyllenhaal: The Bride!
- Ben Affleck: Animals
- Olivia Wilde: Avengelyne (in development)
- Jonah Hill: Outcome
- Bradley Cooper: Is This Thing On?
Note: Release calendars can change fast due to festival slots, shifting distribution plans, and plain old scheduling. If you tell me which director you are most excited about, I can help you track the most current premiere and distribution info that is actually public.