Oscars 2017: Predicting All The Nominees
4. Achievement In Directing
Alejandro Iñárritu has won this award two years in a row, but with no new film from him it's time for a new name to take the crown. And that's particularly true given Best Director will likely go to a first-time winner this year.
The three frontrunners are Damien Chazelle (La La Land), Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), and Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By The Sea), with Chazelle's rather more showy work (and more beloved film overall) likely to get the prize. After that, it gets a little trickier. Denis Villeneuve (Arrival), Garth Davis (Lion), Martin Scorsese (Silence), and Mel Gibson (Hacksaw Ridge) are likely fighting for the final two spots, and it'll probably go the same way as the DGA. If it does differ, it'll most likely be Scorsese sneaking in ahead of Davis.
Likely Nominees:
Damien Chazelle (La La Land)
Garth Davis (Lion)
Barry Jenkins (Moonlight)
Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester By The Sea)
Denis Villeneuve (Arrival)