Tom Hooper (pictured), Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky, David Fincher and David O Russell are the nominees announced by the Directors Guild Of America.

Danny Boyle for 127 Hours and the Coen Brother for True Grit miss out in the uncannily accurate barometer of Oscar success. Only six times since the DGA award began in 1948 has the Guild’s winner not gone on to win the Academy Award for best director.

This is the first nomination for Aronofsky for Black Swan, Hooper for The King’s Speech and Russell for The Fighter. Fincher directed The Social Network and was previously nominated for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button and Inception’s Nolan has been in contention twice before for The Dark Knight and Memento.

“2011 marks the 75th anniversary of the DGA, making the celebration of this year’s five nominees especially meaningful,” DGA president Taylor Hackford said. “Their inspired films radiate the passion and unique vision of each of these film-makers, who are about to become part of our Guild’s rich history.”

The winner will be announced at the DGA’s awards gala on January 29.