20 Film Directors Who Could Define 2016

18. David Ayer

David Ayer got his start in Hollywood as a screenwriter, with writing credits attached to movies such as U-571 and The Fast and the Furious. He gained wider recognition as the writer of the L.A. crime thriller Training Day, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. From there he€™s steadily worked his way up the rungs of the industry ladder, becoming a director himself. Much of Ayer€™s work dwells on the grittiness of L.A. crime, particularly his films Harsh Times, Street Kings, and the critically acclaimed End of Watch. He has, however, attempted to branch out from this niche, showing audiences a different type of grit in the World War II film Fury. Ayer is undoubtedly a unique and rising talent in Hollywood €” so where does he go next? Well, this past year, it seems Warner Bros. has gotten serious about focusing their film slate on DC Comics adaptations. Moreover, they€™ve made the smart decision of snapping up Ayer for their supervillain team-up film Suicide Squad. With Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Jared Leto onboard as cast members, it looks like David Ayer and Suicide Squad could be set to make some major waves in 2016.