2026 DGA Nominations: Ryan Coogler Makes History as Paul Thomas Anderson, Chloé Zhao Lead Feature Film Category
Directors Guild of America announces nominees for 78th Annual DGA Awards with historic representation
The Directors Guild of America has announced its nominees for the 78th Annual DGA Awards, delivering a slate of contenders that reflects both established auteurs and historic milestones in representation. DGA President Christopher Nolan unveiled the feature film nominees on January 8, 2026, following television and documentary category announcements the day prior.
DGA Feature Film Nominees 2026: Outstanding Directorial Achievement
The five directors competing for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film are:
Paul Thomas Anderson – "One Battle After Another" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Ryan Coogler – "Sinners" (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Guillermo del Toro – "Frankenstein" (Netflix)
Josh Safdie – "Marty Supreme" (A24)
Chloé Zhao – "Hamnet" (Focus Features)
Historic DGA Nominations: Coogler and Zhao Break New Ground
Ryan Coogler's nomination carries significant historical weight. The "Sinners" director becomes only the fifth Black filmmaker ever recognized by the DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film, and the first since Spike Lee earned a nomination for "BlacKkKlansman" in 2018. Previous Black nominees include Jordan Peele for "Get Out," Barry Jenkins for "Moonlight," and Lee Daniels for "Precious." Notably, no Black filmmaker has ever won the DGA's top directing prize.
Chloé Zhao continues her historic trajectory in the directing category. The "Nomadland" Oscar winner joins Jane Campion, Kathryn Bigelow, and Greta Gerwig as the only women to earn multiple DGA nominations in the feature film category. Zhao is also the first Asian woman to win a DGA Award and the first female director of color to receive a second nomination. In total, only 12 women have ever been nominated in this category throughout the DGA's history.
This marks only the second time in DGA history that a majority of the nominees represent underrepresented communities. The first occurred in 2017 with Guillermo del Toro, Greta Gerwig, Jordan Peele, and Martin McDonagh.
First-Time Feature Film Directors: Michael Apted Award Nominees 2026
The Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film recognizes emerging talent with five nominees:
Hasan Hadi – "The President's Cake" (Sony Pictures Classics)
Harry Lighton – "Pillion"
Charlie Polinger – "The Plague"
Alex Russell – "Lurker"
Eva Victor – "Sorry, Baby"
Hasan Hadi's "The President's Cake" represents the only foreign-language film among the first-time director nominees, giving Iraq's Oscar submission a significant boost in the International Feature Film race.
DGA Awards Television Nominations 2026
The DGA also announced nominees across multiple television categories, with "The Pitt" and "The Bear" each receiving two nominations.
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
Liza Johnson – "The Diplomat," "Amagansett" (Netflix)
Amanda Marsalis – "The Pitt," "6:00 P.M." (HBO Max)
Janus Metz – "Andor," "Who Are You?" (Disney+)
Ben Stiller – "Severance," "Cold Harbor" (Apple TV+)
Dennie Gordon – "The Pitt," "The Quiet Room" (HBO Max)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
Lucia Aniello – "Hacks," "A Slippery Slope" (HBO Max)
Janicza Bravo – "The Bear," "Worms" (FX on Hulu)
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg – "The Studio," "The Oner" (Apple TV+)
Mike White – "The White Lotus," "Denials" (HBO)
Christopher Storer – "The Bear," "Legacy" (FX on Hulu)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Limited & Anthology Series
Jason Bateman – "Black Rabbit," "The Black Rabbits" (Netflix)
Antonio Campos – "The Beast in Me," "Sick Puppy" (Netflix)
Lesli Linka Glatter – "Zero Day," "Episode 6" (Netflix)
Reinaldo Marcus Green – "Black Rabbit," "Atonement" (Netflix)
Randall Einhorn – "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," "Episode 4" (FX)
DGA Documentary Film Nominees 2026
The Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Film category features:
Mstyslav Chernov – "2000 Meters to Andriivka"
Geeta Gandbhir – "The Perfect Neighbor"
Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni – "Cutting Through Rocks"
Elizabeth Lo – "Mistress Dispeller"
Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus – "Cover-Up"
All five documentary nominees are also on the Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary Feature.
DGA to Oscar Predictions: What History Tells Us
DGA nominations have historically been among the most accurate guild awards for predicting Oscar nominees. On average, four of the five DGA nominees go on to receive Best Director nominations from the Academy. However, the two groups haven't matched up five-for-five since 2010.
In recent years, discrepancies have predominantly occurred when the Academy's Directors Branch opts for international filmmakers over DGA-nominated English-language directors. Last year, the Academy chose "The Substance" director Coralie Fargeat over DGA nominee Edward Berger for "Conclave."
Only two films have ever won the Academy Award for Best Picture without receiving a DGA nomination for directing: "Driving Miss Daisy" (1989) and "CODA" (2022).
When Are the DGA Awards 2026?
The 78th Annual DGA Awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Dolby is the Official Premier Sponsor of the 78th Annual DGA Awards.
In his statement accompanying the announcement, DGA President Christopher Nolan said, "We could not be prouder to recognize the incredible work of this year's nominees for their dedication to the art of filmmaking. On behalf of the entire Guild community, I extend my congratulations to these directors on this achievement, and we look forward to celebrating your work at the DGA Awards."
The DGA Awards represent a crucial stop on the road to the Academy Awards, with winners often going on to Oscar glory. This year's nominees span major studios including Warner Bros., Netflix, A24, and Focus Features, setting up what promises to be a competitive awards season across all categories.