Searching for “the best horror directors working today” immediately pulls heavyweights like Mike Flanagan, James Wan, Ari Aster, and Jordan Peele right out of the gate. Other names common in further searches included Robert Eggers, Guillermo del Toro, and Adam Wingard, to name a few. These names have become synonymous with genre filmmaking and deserve their recognition, but it was surprising not to see Christopher Landon pop up as a big name among those searches.

Landon has been honing his chops in the industry since the mid-90s but became a more noticeable name following 2007’s Disturbia. Since then, the director has delivered some of the best genre efforts out there, and with Drop, he’s only proven that he’s getting better with each passing film.

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Christopher Landon Pays Homage to the Greats That Came Before Him

In some of Landon’s best work, you’ll notice that he makes it obvious how much he is influenced by the greats who paved the way for him. He’s not ripping off their work by any means but paying homage and updating some of those concepts for a modern audience. With Disturbia, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is an obvious influence, but the concept is given a more contemporary aesthetic thanks to how the characters are depicted.

Making the main character a troubled 17-year-old who has lost his father and finds himself confined to his room because of a particularly violent outburst makes the character more accessible to young audiences and adds a layer of suspense to the proceedings. Landon found the right point of entry for the film, and the result was a critical and financial success, grossing $118.1 million worldwide against a $20 million budget.

Amid his success with Distubia, he became a big creative voice behind the found-footage Paranormal Activity franchise. Following the release of the first film, Landon has a writing credit on all the films that followed and even stepped behind the camera on Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones, a truly underrated “cousin” of the main franchise that found a way to cleverly link itself to the main universe of films. The Paranormal Activity films create another avenue of the genre for Landon to put his stamp on, and their impact and success shouldn’t be ignored.

Arguably, his most creative and substantial run to date for horror genre fans has been his work with 2017’s Happy Death Day and its 2019 sequel, Happy Death Day 2U. Again, both films pay homage to something that Landon seems to love. You’ll notice that in previous films, such as Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse, the director has an excellent eye for comedy. With Happy Death Day, he combined his love for laughs and horror in equal measure.

Happy Death Day is essentially Groundhog Day meets a typical ’80s slasher but with a modern-day twist. It’s a concept that works remarkably well, even throwing in some of the sensibilities that made the Scream franchise so successful. The result was also critically and financially lauded, with the film earning a solid $125.5 million globally on a $4.8 million budget.

You can see the expansion of his filmmaking talent with Happy Death Day 2U. Instead of making a sequel that would be a carbon copy of the first film, Landon decided to throw in a bit of science fiction into the mix, adding some Back to the Future enjoyment to go along with the comedic and horror movie tropes. In many ways, it’s an even better film than its predecessor because of its ambition, and, combined with the first movie, it’s the reason fans have been clamoring for a third film. While Universal Pictures and Blumhouse have stalled on this for years, star Jessica Rothe has recently provided some hope that the third film will finally happen.

Christopher Landon Expertly Blends Horror and Comedy

With Freaky, released in 2020, Landon once again toys with various genres to give audiences another creative success. This time, slasher movie tropes are mixed with the body-switching antics of Freaky Friday, and it all works because Landon has a solid hold on the material and has a distinct voice that honors his inspirations while adding his special touch that makes the film very much something that is his own.

It should also be noted that sometimes it’s very hard to balance horror and comedy, and many filmmakers have failed to get this right, but add Landon to the ranks of someone like Sam Raimi, who can do this without missing a beat. Had Freaky not been released during the COVID-19 pandemic, it likely would’ve been a box office success, but by still pulling in $18.1 million worldwide, plus its VOD revenue, on a $6 million budget, it became another hit on Landon’s filmography.

2025 has proven to be another banner year for Landon. Despite the mess that transpired last year when he signed on to Scream 7 and exited in the wake of a lot of drama and toxic fandom, Landon has proven that the best revenge is a success. He has a co-writing credit on Heart Eyes, one of the best horror films released this year, and further proof of his artistry to combine genres effortlessly. Audiences likely never knew they needed a “meet cute” romantic comedy slasher film, but they got one, and it’s bound to become a cult classic and mandatory viewing every Valentine’s Day.

Drop represents Landon’s best masterstroke as a filmmaker to date. It shows a director in command of his talents behind the camera and, once again, paying homage to the greats who have inspired his work. The film is a fresh take on the typical whodunit, using our currently technology-obsessed world to craft a story that is thrilling but also a commentary on so many other things as well. The film’s main character, Violet (Meghann Fahy), is a widow with a young son who is still reeling from years of abuse inflicted upon her by her ex.

Even though Drop is always thrilling and a fun experience, Landon takes the time to dive into the mind of a woman who has a distinct fear of moving on with her life and one living with immense guilt that she didn’t overcome the fear of her situation to do more to help her son and herself. The fact that Landon can fit in substantial character beats in a film like this is a testament to his talents as a filmmaker, as he’s able to throw in some fun dark comedy while always being aware that the film’s main theme is finding your strength to take action when you’re called upon to do it.

‘Drop’ Is Christopher Landon’s Best Work To Date

You’ll also find a lot of humor in Drop, something Landon has become a master of blending into his thrillers and horror films. The film is also a commentary on the stress that goes along with first dates, which can be a bit daunting and Landon plays with the trope often. Through this exaggerated first-date-from-hell scenario, the director is able to poke fun at the awkwardness that can go along with these first encounters but also the excitement too. In Drop, there are always a few laughs just around the corner of the thrills.

It’s the kind of film that would make Brian de Palma, Alfred Hitchcock, and Wes Craven proud. You’ll see some of those names coming up in the stellar reviews for Drop as they compare what Landon accomplished with his concept. Craven’s Red Eye came up as a big comparison, a film featuring a woman in peril in an environment and scenario that doesn’t offer a quick and easy escape. With Landon’s name being mentioned alongside these greats, putting out films that would likely make them very proud, it’s about time he rightfully finds his name quickly alongside the voices of the genre that are paving the way for its future. Landon’s input gives genre fans something to be truly excited about. Drop is in theaters now.