×
Switch edition between U.S. Edition Asia Edition Global Edition
Read Next: ‘And Tomorrow the Entire World World’ to Enter Oscar Race for Germany

Oscars Predictions: Best Director – Are Newer Filmmakers Taking Over the Crowded Field?

Nomadland
Searchlight Pictures

Variety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars from Film Awards Editor Clayton Davis. Following Academy Awards history, buzz, news, reviews and sources, the Oscar predictions are updated regularly with the current year's contenders in all categories. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season. Eligibility calendar and dates of awards will determine how long each phase lasts and will be displayed next to revision date.

To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit THE COLLECTIVE.

2021 OSCARS PREDICTIONS:
BEST DIRECTOR

UPDATED: Oct. 27, 2020 (PRE-SEASON)

One of the most diverse collections of contenders seen in recent years that has many female directors as well as POC. We could be in store for a historic lineup with more diversity than the typical AMPAS makeup we’ve seen in the 92 years.

UPDATE (10/27/2020): “Respect” has pushed back its release outside of the eligibility window and has been removed from the charts.

† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories

Lazy loaded image
Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios

AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE:

  1. Chloé Zhao
    "Nomadland" (Searchlight Pictures)
  2. David Fincher
    "Mank" (Netflix)
  3. Aaron Sorkin
    "The Trial of the Chicago 7" (Netflix)
  4. Regina King
    "One Night in Miami" (Amazon Studios)
  5. Lee Isaac Chung†
    "Minari" (A24)
Lazy loaded image
DAVID LEE/NETFLIX

NEXT IN LINE CONTENDERS:

  1. George C. Wolfe
    "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" (Netflix)
  2. Paul Greengrass
    "News of the World" (Universal Pictures)
  3. Spike Lee
    "Da 5 Bloods" (Netflix)
  4. Florian Zeller
    "The Father" (Sony Pictures Classics)
  5. Sofia Coppola
    "On the Rocks" (A24/Apple TV Plus)
    Lazy loaded image
    Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

TOP-TIER AWARDS CONTENDERS:

  1. Shaka King
    "Judas and the Black Messiah" (Warner Bros.)
  2. Christopher Nolan
    "Tenet" (Warner Bros.)
  3. George Clooney
    "The Midnight Sky" (Netflix)
  4. Emerald Fennell
    "Promising Young Woman" (Focus Features)
  5. Lee Daniels
    "The United States vs. Billie Holiday" (Paramount Pictures)
  6. Kelly Reichard
    "First Cow" (A24)
  7. Armando Iannucci
    "The Personal History of David Copperfield" (Searchlight Pictures)
  8. Ryan Murphy
    "The Prom" (Netflix)
  9. Ramin Bahrani
    "The White Tiger" (Netflix)
  10. Harry Mcqueen
    "Supernova" (Bleecker Street)
Lazy loaded image
Courtesy of Sundance Institute

ALSO IN CONTENTION:

  1. Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
    "Cherry" (Apple TV Plus)
  2. John Patrick Shanley
    "Wild Mountain Thyme" (Bleecker Street)
  3. Kornél Mundruczó†
    "Pieces of a Woman" (Netflix)
  4. Charlie Kaufman
    "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" (Netflix)
  5. Darius Marder
    "Sound of Metal" (Amazon Studios)
  6. Azazel Jacobs
    "French Exit" (Sony Pictures Classics)
  7. Channing Godfrey Peoples
    "Miss Juneteenth" (Vertical Entertainment)
  8. Ron Howard
    "Hillbilly Elegy" (Netflix)
  9. Rod Lurie
    "The Outpost" (Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment)
  10. Edson Oda
    "Nine Days" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Lazy loaded image
Courtesy of Thatcher Keats/Neon

MORE AWARDS CONTENDERS:

  1. Julia Hart
    "I'm Your Woman" (Amazon Studios)
  2. Niki Caro
    "Mulan" (Disney Plus)
  3. Max Barbakow
    "Palm Springs" (Hulu/Neon)
  4. Josephine Decker
    "Shirley" (Neon)
  5. Jonathan Butterell
    "Everybody's Talking About Jamie" (20th Century Studios)
  6. Eliza Hittman
    "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" (Focus Features)
  7. Aaron Schneider
    "Greyhound" (Apple TV Plus)
  8. Radha Blank
    "The Forty-Year-Old Version" (Netflix)
  9. Reinaldo Marcus Green
    "Good Joe Bell" (Solstice Studios)
Lazy loaded image
Focus Features

UNRANKED AWARDS CONTENDERS:

  • Judd Apatow, “The King of Staten Island” (Netflix)
  • Kenneth Branagh, “Death on the Nile” (20th Century Studios)
  • Scott Cooper, “Antlers” (Searchlight Pictures)
  • Michael Angelo Covino, “The Climb” (Sony Pictures Classics)
  • Autumn de Wilde, “Emma.” (Focus Features)
  • Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, “Soul” (Pixar)
  • Sean Durkin, “The Nest” (IFC Films)
  • Clea DuVall, “Happiest Season” (Hulu)
  • Heidi Ewing, “I Carry You With Me” (Sony Pictures Classics)
  • Mona Fastvold, “The World to Come” (Bleecker Street)†
  • Coky Giedroyc, “How to Build a Girl” (IFC Films)
  • Kitty Green, “The Assistant” (Bleecker Street)
  • John Lee Hancock, “The Little Things” (Warner Bros.)
  • Chad Hartigan, “Little Fish” (IFC Films)
  • Patty Jenkins, “Wonder Woman 1984” (Warner Bros.)†
  • Miranda July, “Kajillionaire” (Focus Features)
  • Glen Keane, “Over the Moon” (Netflix)
  • Phyllida Lloyd, “Herself” (Amazon Studios)
  • Joe Mantello, “The Boys in the Band” (Netflix)
  • Pietro Marcello, “Martin Eden” (Kino Lorber)
  • Tara Miele, “Wander Darkly” (Lionsgate)
  • Carlo Mirabella-Davis, “Swallow” (IFC Films)
  • Ekwa Msangi, “Farewell Amor” (Wavelength Productions)
  • Gavin O'Connor, “The Way Back” (Warner Bros.)
  • Gina Prince-Bythewood, “The Old Guard” (Netflix)
  • Marjane Satrapi, “Radioactive” (Amazon Studios)
  • Dan Scanlon, “Onward” (Pixar)
  • Steven Soderbergh, “Let Them All Talk” (HBO Max)†
  • Fisher Stevens, “Palmer” (Apple TV Plus)†
  • Ricky Straub, “Concrete Cowboy” (No U.S. Distribution)†
  • Julie Taymor, “The Glorias” (Roadside Attractions)
  • Leigh Whannell, “The Invisible Man” (Universal Pictures)
  • Robin Wright, “Land” (Focus Features)†
  • Benh Zeitlin, “Wendy” (Searchlight Pictures)
  • Robert Zemeckis, “The Witches” (HBO Max)

† = no release date scheduled / could be delayed / may not be eligible
†† = could be campaigned in lead or supporting categories / original or adapted screenplay categories

The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars is Hollywood’s most prestigious artistic award in the film industry. The best director category has solidified cinema’s most prolific filmmakers. John Ford is the most awarded director in history with four Oscars while Frank Capra and William Wyler garnered three each. Wyler is the most nominated director in Academy history with 12 while Martin Scorsese and Billy Wilder currently place behind him with 9 and 8 mentions respectively. The late Clarence Brown is the most nominated filmmaker to not win an Academy Award with six (his last was for 1947’s “The Yearling”).

Academy Awards Predictions (All Categories)

 

10 Comments

More From Our Brands

ad