The Directors Guild of America has unveiled its 2026 nominations, and this year’s list reflects both awards-season momentum and meaningful milestones across film, television, and documentary storytelling.
At the center of the moment is Ryan Coogler, who earned a nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for Sinners. With the nod, Coogler becomes only the sixth Black director ever nominated in the category—and the first since Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman in 2018.
This year’s nominations also spotlight powerful work across formats, with Alexandria Stapleton earning recognition in documentary series, Geeta Gandbhir nominated for documentary film, and Janicza Bravo continuing her standout run in television with a directing nomination for The Bear—underscoring a broader, long-overdue recognition of Black women shaping the medium from behind the camera.
A Historic Lineage for Ryan Coogler
Coogler now joins a short and consequential list of Black filmmakers previously recognized by the DGA:
- Lee Daniels (Precious, 2009)
- Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave, 2014)
- Barry Jenkins (Moonlight, 2016)
- Jordan Peele (Get Out, 2017)
- Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman, 2018)
- Ryan Coogler (Sinners, 2026)
The nomination marks Coogler’s first-ever DGA feature film nod, further cementing Sinners as one of the most critically embraced films of the season.
The 78th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards will take place Saturday, February 7, at The Beverly Hilton.
As awards season accelerates, this year’s DGA nominations not only reinforce the frontrunners—but also mark a critical moment of recognition for Black filmmakers shaping film, television, and documentary storytelling at the highest level.
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film
- Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another
- Ryan Coogler – Sinners
- Guillermo del Toro – Frankenstein
- Josh Safdie – Marty Supreme
- Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
First-Time Theatrical Feature Film Directors
- Hasan Hadi – The President’s Cake
- Harry Lighton – Pillion
- Charlie Polinger – The Plague
- Alex Russell – Lurker
- Eva Victor – Sorry, Baby
Television: Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series Highlights
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+)
- John Wells — The Pitt, “7:00 A.M.” (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+)
- Christopher Storer — The Bear, “Bears” (FX on Hulu)
- Mike White — The White Lotus, “Denials” (HBO Max)
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)
- Shannon Murphy — Dying for Sex, “It’s Not That Serious” (FX on Hulu)
- Ally Pankiw — Black Mirror, “Common People” (Netflix)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television
- Jesse Armstrong — Mountainhead (HBO Max)
- Stephen Chbosky — Nonnas (Netflix)
- Scott Derrickson — The Gorge (Apple TV+)
- Michael Morris — Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock)
- Kyle Newacheck — Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix)
Documentary Film & Series: A Strong Year for Nonfiction Storytelling
Documentary categories delivered some of the most culturally resonant nominations of the year.
Documentary Film nominees:
- 2000 Meters to Andriivka – Mstyslav Chernov
- The Perfect Neighbor – Geeta Gandbhir
- Cutting Through Rocks – Sara Khaki & Mohammadreza Eyni
- Mistress Dispeller – Elizabeth Lo
- Cover-Up – Laura Poitras & Mark Obenhaus
Documentary Series / News nominees include:
- Alexandria Stapleton – Sean Combs: The Reckoning
- Marshall Curry – SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
- Susan Lacy & Jessica Levin – Billy Joel: And So It Goes
- Rebecca Miller – Mr. Scorsese
- Matt Wolf – Pee-Wee as Himself