| Jane Campion The Power of the Dog | Rebecca Hall Passing | Denis Villanueve Dune | Joel Coen The Tragedy of Macbeth | Pedro Almodovar Parallel Mothers |
| 1 nomination (for directing) | No nominations | 1 nomination | 3 nominations (for directing), 1 win | 1 nomination (for directing) |
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| Despite years of quality, Campion has only one Best Director nomination and it was in 1993. This star-studded tale could get her back in Oscars’ good graces | Already winning raves out of Sundance, this well-respected actress can translate to the lineup. The Oscars love actors-turned-directors | Following his nomination for Arrival, big budgets and grand ideas have been thrown at him, but Dune HAS to be a big hit for him to have a shot | Already a Best Director winner, but this time without his brother. Will they be able to take to the single Coen as well as they took the brothers? | The Oscars have shown willingness to nominate Pedro before, even when his film doesn’t show up in Best Picture. He has probably been 6th place more than once. |
| ALTERNATIVES | ||||
| Paul Thomas Anderson Soggy Bottom | Wes Anderson The French Dispatch | Sara Colangelo Worth | Fran Kranz Mass | Guillermo del Toro Nightmare Alley |
| 2 nominations (for directing) | 1 nomination (for directing) | No nominations | No nominations | 1 nomination (for directing), 1 win |
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| Despite eight nominations, PTA has only been nominated for Best Director twice. The film would have to be a top-line contender for him to break through. | Much like PTA, Anderson has seven noms but only one directing nomination. If the Academy can look past the quirks, they might find him in the lineup again. | Colangelo has already shown her ability with The Kindergarten Teacher and if the Oscars really go for her film, she could find herself in the lineup as well | Sometimes dark subject matter is shunned by the Academy, but they will still recognize the director (David Lynch in 1986). Kranz might end up there as well even if his film misses | Following his Best Director win in 2017, everthing he makes will be on the Academy’s radar and this one has a huge cast and is headed in the buzziest direction |
| MORE ALTERNATIVES | ||||
| John Michael McDonagh The Forgiven | Steven Spielberg West Side Story | Pablo Larrain Spencer | David O. Russell Canterbury Glass | Edson Oda Nine Days |
| No nominations | 7 nominations, 2 wins (for directing) | No nominations | 3 nominations (for directing) | No nominations |
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| His films have yet to translate to awards success, but he doesn’t have a patented style and could still end up snubbed even if the film succeeds | The name and the numbers speak for themselves, but remakes of Best Picture winners are 0-3 so far and none of them have been decent, much less good. Will have to really impress | Seen more as an actor’s director, he could translate if the film shows up in non-acting categories. | Russell is 3-3 with Best Director nominations when his film gets Best Picture. I would expect his film would also have to translate for him to be mentioned. | The Oscars have shown their affinity for nominating a Best Director outside of Best Picture and Oda could be primed for that spot |
