When people talk about the best directors in Hollywood, the name Nia DaCosta should come up, yet it rarely does. A big reason for that is likely because the films that she has made have unfortunately flopped at the worldwide box office and are viewed as disappointments because of that. However, the truth goes a bit deeper because the commercial performance of a movie has nothing to do with its overall quality.
That’s the problem that DaCosta has run into. Her rousing debut as a feature director, Little Woods, was an indie film and she also put out a movie that went straight to Prime Video, Hedda, but outside of those, she has taken the reins of three established properties. Those movies had high expectations when it comes to the box office and the fact that all three underperformed, sometimes in huge ways, has led to her getting overlooked.
Anyone who takes a closer look at DaCosta’s projects can see a talented filmmaker with a flair for making every scene come to life and for coaxing tremendous performances out of her cast. Not many directors can lay claim to the fact that all of their movies received positive reviews but DaCosta is one of them, without a single miss in her filmography.
Nia DaCosta’s Biggest Movies Have Bombed Commercially
The three biggest movies that Nia DaCosta has made were all part of established franchises. First, she directed the 2021 remake/sequel, Candyman, followed by 2023’s The Marvels and 2026’s 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple. Unfortunately, all three of those movies greatly underwhelmed on a commercial level, which has given her the label of being a consistent box office flop.
To be fair, Candyman pulling in just over $77 million on a $25 million budget wasn’t all that bad, especially when you consider it came at a time when people were still unsure about returning to theaters during the pandemic. That said, it was believed by many that the film should’ve cracked the $100 million mark.
The Marvels was the biggest flop. The first installment, Captain Marvel, grossed over $1 billion. Nobody expected the sequel to match that, since the first came in between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which was when the MCU was at its height. Alas, The Marvels ended up bringing in only just over $200 million, making it the lowest-grossing film in the franchise. On top of that, the budget was reportedly over $350 million, making this one of the biggest flops of all time.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple was also a disappointment. It grossed just around $58 million despite the previous entry from a year prior pulling in over $150 million. That $58 million is even less than the first two installments from the 2000s. It’s unclear why this sequel performed so poorly, as it received fantastic reviews and came so soon after a good entry as well.
Every Nia DaCosta Film Has Been Well-Received
The one thing that every Nia DaCosta film has in common, regardless of budget, is that they’ve all received positive reviews from critics. The director’s first movie, Little Woods, a crime drama starring Tessa Thompson (DaCosta’s frequent collaborator), sits at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, her second project, Candyman, earned an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Marvels has the lowest rating of one of DaCosta’s films, yet the 63% rating is still one that means most critics were positive about it. Her Prime Video original, Hedda (also starring Thompson), is at 89%, while 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has a 92% rating, which is the highest score for that franchise. DaCosta’s work may not equal box office success, but pretty much everything she touches turns to gold and that consistent level of quality is the mark of a great filmmaker.
Nia DaCosta’s Specialty Seems To Be The Horror Genre
While everything DaCosta has been involved in has been good, it’s clear that her specialty is in the horror genre. Little Woods is a great crime drama and The Marvels is a fun superhero movie, but it’s Candyman, Hedda, and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple where she’s at her best.
Hedda isn’t directly a horror movie but you can see the horror elements throughout. The film is dark, you never quite know what’s going on, and the thrills feel in line with what you get from scary movies. Meanwhile, Candyman is one of the best modern horror films. It takes what worked in the original movies and builds upon it, while featuring some truly chilling scenes. For example, the sequence where we first see Candyman attack is masterfully done, especially when it comes to the way it uses mirrors.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has a great horror vibe during its entire runtime and gets capped by a fantastic scene involving a pyrotechnic-filled Iron Maiden performance, hallucinations, and the infected that the franchise is known for. DaCosta’s efforts in these films were praised by almost every critic, showcasing that she’s one of the best rising directors in horror.
Nia DaCosta Has Made History A Few Times
On top of her critical success, Nia DaCosta has also managed to make history on a handful of occasions. Despite not being a monster hit, Candyman made her the first Black female director to have a film debut at the top spot on the United States box office. Her successes made her a great choice to be the first Black woman to direct an entry in the MCU with The Marvels.
As noted, The Marvels was a colossal disappointment in terms of its box office intake. Even with that, the film still allowed DaCosta to make some more history. Its box office intake wasn’t great, but the film is still the highest-grossing project ever directed by a Black woman. She has also taken home some notable awards, including the Nora Ephron Prize at the Tribeca Film Festival and Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture at the NAACP Image Awards.
At just 36 years of age, Nia DaCosta still has a lot of career ahead of her. Considering she’s already made history and has released nothing but quality movies, the future is bright for DaCosta.
