The DGA award is seen as the key indicator as to the Academy Awards in March, with the winner of the feature film award often going on to take the Oscar for best director.
Guillermo del Toro has emerged as the frontrunner for the best director Oscar after scooping the best feature film award from the Directors Guild of America for The Shape of Water.
(Only once since 2002 – when Ben Affleck won the award for Argo in 2012 – has the DGA not matched the Academy award.)
Del Toro may now also expect a serious challenge at the Oscars from Peele, who took the DGA award for best first-time feature for his racially charged horror film.