For Your Consideration

THE EVIDENCE: The Devil's Backbone (2001), Hellboy (2004), Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

WHY HIM: Because this Mexican filmmaker manages to imbue geeky, fantasy, sci-fi stuff with both compelling emotion and some of the most eye-popping visuals we've ever seen. (We're still reeling from the spooky Pale Man scene in Pan's Labyrinth.) When he lost three years to The Hobbit, we really missed him, which is why it's good he's coming back with multiple projects in tow, like Don't Be Afraid of the Dark, which he produced, and movies based on Frankenstein, H.P. Lovecraft, and Disney World's Haunted Mansion. —Missy Schwartz