Now this is a surprise: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo director David Fincher has vaulted past Steven Spielberg in the eyes of the Directors Guild of America. Spielberg’s family-friendly World War I melodrama War Horse is widely expected to secure him an Oscar nomination as Best Director, but the DGA has instead chosen to recognize Fincher’s very adult, R-rated work.

The other names on the list are the usual suspects — Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris, Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist), Alexander Payne (The Descendants), and Martin Scorsese (Hugo).

Fincher’s appearance on the DGA’s list finishes a kind of trifecta for Dragon Tattoo — after being passed over for recognition by most of the major critics’ groups (and SAG), the film has now made the shortlists of industry peers in the Producers Guild, the Writers Guild, and the DGA. As we recalibrate our Oscar-ometers, it may be time to consider Dragon Tattoo a serious awards contender.