The 12 Monkeys director will helm his first opera with an adaptation of Hector Berlioz's peice next summer, The Guardian reports.
ENO artistic director John Berry said of winning over Gilliam: "I crept up on him so that he eventually found himself in a situation where he was committed."
Music director Edward Gardner added: "You have to create a world for The Damnation of Faust, and that is something Gilliam is incredibly brilliant at doing – if not several worlds at once.
"He's got a real grip on what needs to be done. I can't wait to tap into his crazy world and artistry."
Other season highlights include Rufus Norris's direction of Don Giovanni this November and Mike Figgis's operatic debut with Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia next January.
