| 1. Alfonso Cuarón - ROMA (BAFTA, BFCA win, DGA, GG win) |
| 2. Spike Lee - BlacKkKlansman (BAFTA, BFCA, DGA, GG) |
| 3. Bradley Cooper - A Star Is Born (BFCA, DGA, GG) |
| 4. Adam McKay - Vice (BAFTA, BFCA, DGA, GG) |
| 5. Barry Jenkins - If Beale Street Could Talk (Spirit) |
| 6. Yorgos Lanthimos - The Favourite (BAFTA, BFCA) |
| 7. Pawel Pawlikowski - Cold War (BAFTA) |
| 8. Peter Farrelly - Green Book (BFCA, DGA, GG) |
| 9. Damien Chazelle - First Man (BFCA) |
| 10. Ryan Coogler - Black Panther |
| OTHER CONTENDERS |
| Debra Granik - Leave No Trace (Spirit) |
| BAFTA - British Film Academy Awards |
BFCA - Broadcast Film Critics Association (Critics Choice) |
| DGA - Directors Guild of America |
| GG - Golden Globe |
| Spirit - Independent Spirit Awards |
Previous…Best Picture Next…Best Actor
‘Jay Kelly,’ ‘Hamnet,’ ‘Pluribus,’ ‘Task’ and More on AFI’s Top 10 Films and Television of 2025 Lists 
‘Frankenstein’ to Receive Visionary Honor from Palm Springs International Film Awards 
Robert Yeoman to be Honored with American Society of Cinematographers’ Lifetime Achievement Award 
National Board of Review: ‘One Battle After Another’ Tops in Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actor; Netflix Lands Four in Top 10