2016 DGA Awards Nominees Include ‘La La Land,’ ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Deadpool’

The Directors Guild of America has officially unveiled its 2016 film nominees, a list that boasts very few — if any — surprises. Indeed, the DGA has added its voice(s) to the growing awards season choir, singing the praises of La La Land, Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea — all but guaranteeing their Oscar nominations for Best Picture. The DGA has also revealed the nominees for First-Time Feature Filmmaker, which include Dan Trachtenberg for 10 Cloverfield Lane and (brace yourselves for this totally un-shocking shocker) Tim Miller for Deadpool.

Deadpool’s underdog narrative has transcended its box-office success and surprisingly extended to awards season, picking up a few nods from the Golden Globes, the Producers Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, and now, the Directors Guild of America — all of which might not seem that telling, but when you consider that several members from those three guilds are also members of the Academy…well, maybe Deadpool’s Oscar chances aren’t that improbable.

Garth Davis received dual nods for Lion, which might just be one of those sneaky Oscar contenders, while Kelly Fremon Craig earned a First-Time Feature nod for her excellent coming-of-age teen comedy The Edge of Seventeen. Here’s the full list:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film

• Damien Chazelle, La La Land
• Garth Davis, Lion
• Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
• Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
• Denis Villeneuve, Arrival

Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Filmmaker

• Garth Davis, Lion
• Kelly Fremon Craig, The Edge of Seventeen
• Tim Miller, Deadpool
• Nate Parker, The Birth of a Nation
• Dan Trachtenberg, 10 Cloverfield Lane

The winners will be announced on February 4.