The 2016 Academy Award race is looking like one of the most competitive years as many of the best directors in the industry are releasing films. Some of the films are by new helmers, others by Oscar winners and veteran directors. And, there are some directors who have not been nominated in years but could be back in the awards race this year.

1. Oliver Stone, "Snowden": The trailer to his upcoming "Snowden" biopic looks promising, and the cast includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Melissa Leo, Zachary Quinto and Tom Wilkinson.

Stone is one of the most polarizing directors, and many have criticized him for his recent work. However, the director has won three Oscars for "Born on the Fourth of July," "Platoon" and "Midnight Express." The last time he was nominated was in 1996, and since then he has went on to make some of his worst films including "Alexander," "Savages" and "W."

The December release by Open Road, though, is a good sign and could signify a strong awards push. It also doesn't hurt that last year's documentary winner was based on "Snowden," so the Academy clearly likes the subject matter.

2. Robert Zemeckis, "The Walk": One of the most anticipated films of the year is definitely Zemeckis' latest as it is in 3D and also stars Gordon-Levitt. The trailer was released a month ago and looks promising. Zemeckis has kept his filmmaking consistent throughout, and his last film "Flight" scored two Oscar nominations, including Best Actor. While he focused on animation for over 10 years, each of his films have been well received.

"The Walk," like "Snowden," is based on a documentary that won an Oscar and is also being released in December, signifying a strong awards push. It also does not hurt that the film will open the New York Film Festival, which has had a good track record for Oscar nominated films.

3. Ron Howard, "In the Heart of the Sea": Although Howard was nominated in 2008 for "Frost/Nixon," the Academy ignored his film "Rush," making it evident that the director no longer had the love from the organization. Howard won the Oscar in 2001 and had four films nominated for Best Picture. His latest film is based on the Moby Dick adventures, which was originally scheduled for March.

However, the studio suddenly moved to December. The date change may signify that Warner Bros. is confident that Howard has delivered something special. Based on the pedigree and Howard's enthusiasm for historical films and his solid work on these types of films, he could be up for a fourth nomination.

 

4. Danny Boyle, "Steve Jobs": After his big Oscar win in 2008 for "Slumdog Millionaire," Boyle made "127 Hours" and was nominated for Best Picture. However, Boyle was ignored for Best Director. Although he has only made one film since then, "Steve Jobs" is a huge task that, if done right, could be a fascinating biopic.

The film's trailer looks interesting and with a cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet and Seth Rogen, it seems Boyle can't go wrong. However, if the film is compared to the "The Social Network," his Oscar chances could be demolished. Additionally, it is important to remember the amount of press the film received after Sony dropped it and a number of actors left the project.

5. Steven Spielberg, "Bridge of Spies": Technically Spielberg has not lost the favor of the Academy as his last two films were nominated for Best Picture and he was nominated for Best Director in 2012. However, his last win came in 1998 for "Saving Private Ryan."

Since then, his films have received accolades, but he has only been nominated for two of those films, including "Munich" and "Lincoln." "Bridge of Spies" looks solid, and if the film delivers, Spielberg could receive his third Oscar.

The Academy likes auteurs, so other directors who could be back at the Oscars include Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Tom Hooper, Quentin Tarantino, Todd Haynes and David O. Russell.