The movie industry underwent many changes this past year, but there was no shortage of great work released in theaters, on streamers, and in digital markets. ComicBook.com’s 2020 Golden Issue Awards is now recognizing the talented directors of the year’s biggest films, including Leigh Whannell for The Invisible Man, Christopher Nolan for Tenet, Cathy Yan for Birds of Prey, Gina Prince-Bythewood for The Old Guard, and Patty Jenkins for Wonder Woman 1984. Now we’re ready to announce the winner the Golden Issue Award for Best Director! Though all of these filmmakers are at the top of their craft and have churned out some amazing work, one stood out among the rest on ComicBook.com.
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And the winner of the 2020 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Director is…
Cathy Yan for Birds of Prey!
The work done by the other filmmakers was excellent in many regards. Nolan continues to combine mind-bending plots with equally mesmerizing visuals in Tenet, and Jenkins proved she’s one of the most talented blockbuster directors working today. Prince-Bythewood established herself as a talented visionary in the action genre, and Leigh Whannell had the surprise breakout of early 2020 with The Invisible Man. But Yan managed to impress with her deft character work, the impressive sequences, and how the events built toward an amazing climax with a unique superhero battle. From the breakfast sandwich scene, the constant jumps to the sprawling cast of characters, framed in Margot Robbie’s demented narration by Harley Quinn, to a ruckus fit for a roller derby clash, Birds of Prey was a master class in making a unique and raunchy superhero movie that is fun to its core.
Yan didn’t just craft a satisfying rollick through Gotham City’s underworld, but it was a character journey that introduced audiences to enigmatic villains and conflicted heroes. Ewan McGregor’s Black Mask, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress, and Jurnee Smollett’s Black Canary all became fan favorites. And establishing another side of Harley Quinn, one where she’s not just considered the Joker’s girlfriend, was an important achievement for the character’s broader mainstream status.
So from everyone at ComicBook.com, we are proud to confirm Cathy Yan as the most deserving of the 2020 Golden Issue Award for Best Director. Let’s all celebrate over the most perfect egg sandwich, even if you don’t have your own Sal to make it from scratch.
Nominees:
- Cathy Yan (Birds of Prey) — WINNER
- Christopher Nolan (Tenet)
- Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Old Guard)
- Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man)
- Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman 1984)
