With the 2014 calendar year hitting the midpoint, a number of films are already getting buzz for the Academy Awards. In particular, a number of auteur directors are already being considered front-runners for the Best Director category. The following are the directors that could be considered for 2015 Oscars.

One of the biggest contenders of the year is Bennett Miller for his work on "Foxcatcher." The movie has been on the radar for over a year, especially since it was supposed to be released back in November. However, it was delayed and in May at premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where it was received with rave reviews, and Oscar buzz immediately began thereafter. Miller has been nominated for the Best Director award for his feature debut "Capote" back in 2005. However, his second feature "Moneyball" was nominated for Best Picture but not Best Director. The mounting buzz should make Miller a shoe-in.

Christopher Nolan has been on the Academy radar for a number of years. However, oddly enough, he has never been nominated Best Director. Back in 2010 his movie "Inception" was nominated for Best Picture but Nolan was snubbed. This year most pundits are stating that his latest "Interstellar" is the most Academy friendly picture he has ever made and that could help his chances. Nolan has a huge following and with a huge studio like Paramount behind the movie, he is likely to get attention once again.

Mexican Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu has been nominated for the Directing category once before. He received his first nod for "Babel" and this year he may be back in the race with "Birdman." The movie has been on the radar ever since it was announced that Fox Searchlight would release it in October which is in the midst of Oscar season. Inarritu has been a fixture with the Academy with virtually all his films and even if he is not nominated, this movie is likely to get some nominations.

British Director Mike Leigh received buzz for his latest film "Mr. Turner." The movie premiered at the Cannes Film festival where reviews were superb. The film even won an award for Best Actor solidifying the film's status as a top Oscar contender. Leigh has been nominated seven times at the Academy including two times for directing. With "Mr. Turner's" positive reception, this could be a sure bet Directing nomination.

Meanwhile David Fincher may be back in the conversation for his latest thriller "Gone Girl." The director has been nominated twice for his work on "The Social Network" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." "Gone Girl" is receiving a lot of buzz but there is a lot of talk that the movie may be too dark for the Academy. It is important to remember that Fincher's thrillers have never been rewarded by the Academy. "Zodiac," "Seven," "Fight Club," nor "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" obtained the accolades that his softer films "The Social Network" or "Benjamin Button" did. While "Gone Girl" is definitely a solid contender, Fincher may struggle with this one.

A couple of directors may be looking at their first nominations. J.C Chandor's status in Hollywood is rapidly growing after his solid work in "All is Lost" and "Margin Call." This A24 is releasing "A Most Violent Year." The film has been getting a lot of attention especially for its cast which includes Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac. While there is no release date, pundits have high hopes the film will be released during the fall festival circuit in time for awards season.

Another director who may find himself getting his first nomination is Wes Anderson. While "The Grand Budapest Hotel" opened in March, and some may consider it an early release, it became a huge box office hit. The comedy not only won an award at Berlin but it also crossed over to mainstream audiences. Anderson has long been overdue for a nomination for directing and this is perhaps the best opportunity to award him.

Two other big auteur directors who could be on route to an Oscar nomination are Tim Burton and Paul Thomas Anderson. Both directors are respected by Hollywood and the Academy. However neither has won a Best Director Award and their films are not getting the buzz most expected. Burton's "Big Eyes" was originally a huge contender but for some reason, the film has faded out in the past few months. The director has never been nominated for a Best Director award and this film looked like a potential candidate. Perhaps when the first trailer comes out, there will be more talk about it.

Meanwhile, Anderson's "inherent Vice" is an interesting project that is sure to get more attention as its release date gets closer. Anderson was nominated for his work in "There Will Be Blood." However, he was completely ignored for "The Master," which was universally praised. Anderson's relationship with the Academy is a mixed bag so most will have to wait to see what the outcome is.

The final batch of directors include Angelina Jolie for "Unbroken," Todd Haynes for "Carol," Rob Marshall for "Into the Woods," Jean-Marc Vallee for "Wild," Tommy Lee Jones for "The Homesman" and James Marsh for "Theory of Everything."