The slavery epic 12 Years a Slave and the con-artist caper American Hustle lead the 71st annual Golden Globes with seven nominations each.

The nominations were announced Thursday morning by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but the large haul for American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave suggested the films may be this year's Oscar favorites.

Also in the mix are Alexander Payne's father-son road trip Nebraska, with five nominations, including best actor for Bruce Dern. The space odyssey Gravity earned four nominations, as did the Somali pirate thriller Captain Phillips.

Steve McQueen's third film received nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay, while it's cast Lupita Nyong'o and Michael Fassbender were shouted for the Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Motion Picture.

12 Years A Slave will be up against Captain Phillips, Gravity, Philomena and Rush in the battle to take home Best Motion Picture Drama.

The screenwriter of the slave epic, John Ridley has been nominated for Best Screenplay with Spike Jonze (Her), Bob Nelson (Nebraska), Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan (Philomena), and David O. Russell (American Hustle).

Russell's follow up to Silver Linings Playbook was also nominated for Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and saw his stars Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper given the nod too.

Her, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska and Wolf of Wall Street will be up against American Hustle in the category for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.

Russell and McQueen will be up against each other and Alfonso Cuaron (Gravity), Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips) and Alexander Payne (NEbraska) in the Best Director category.

Up for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama are Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years A Slave), Idris Elba (Mandela), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips), Matthew McConaughey (The Dallas Buyers Club), Robert Redford(All Is Lost).

Bale will face off competition from Bruce Stern (Nebraska), Leonardo DiCaprio (Wolf Of Wolf Street), Oscar Isaac(Inside Llewyn Davis) and Joaquin Phoenix (Her) in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical.

While Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine), Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Judi Dench (Philomena), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks) and Kate Winslet (Labor Day) have been nominated for Best Actress in Motion Picture - Drama.

Amy Adams (American Hustle), Julie Delpy (Before Midnight), Greta Gerwig (Frances Ha), Julia Dreyfus (Enough Said) and Meryl Streep (August: Osage County) are up for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.

Best supporting actress in a Motion Picture include Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Julia Roberts (August Osage County), Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave) and June Squibb (Nebraska).

Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Daniel Brühl (Rush), Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)
Bradley Cooper, (American Hustle) and Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) have been nominated for the male equivalent.

Best Original Score sees Alex Ebert (All Is Lost), Alex Heffes (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom), John WIlliams (The Book Thief) and Hans Zimmer (12 Years A Slave) nominated.

Best Animated Feature has three films up for the title, The Croods, Despicable Me 2 and Frozen.

Best Foreign Language Film nominations include Cannes Film Festival's Palme d'Or winner Blue Is The Warmest Color (France), The Great Beauty (Italy), The Hunt (Denmark), The Past (Iran) and The Wind Rises (Japan).

Taylor Swift has been nominated for Best Original Song after writing Sweeter Than Fiction for British Film One Chance.

The American singer will be up against Chris Martin's Atlas from the Hunger Games: Catching Fire; Let It Go from Frozen by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; Ordinary Love by U2 from Mandela: The Long Walk To Freedom; and Please Mr Kennedy, from Inside Llewyn Davis by Ed Rush, T-Bone, Justin Timberlake and the Coen Brothers
The nominations for the 71st Golden Globe Awards were announced on Thursday, with Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde and Aziz Ansari joining Miss Golden Globe at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Thursday, December 12.

The Golden Globe Television Award nominations were also announced on Thursday.

Downton Abbey has been nominated once more for Best Television Drama Series along with Breaking Bad, The Good Wife, House of Cards and Masters of Sex.

Nominated for Best Actress in a TV series, drama, are Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife; Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black; Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black; Kerry Washington, Scandal; and Robin Wright, House of Cards.

The Big Bang Theory, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Girls, Modern Family, and, Parks and Recreation have been nominated for Best TV Series, Comedy.

Best Actor in a TV Series Comedy sees Jason Bateman nominated for his return as Michael Bluth in Arrested Development, Don Cheadle for House of Lies, Michael J. Fox in The Michael J. Fox Show, Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory former SNL star Andy Samberg for his role as Detective Peralta in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

In the equivalent female category, Julia Louis Dreyfus receives her second nomination at the Golden Globes, for her role as Vice President Selena Meyer.

She'll be up against Zooey Deschanel (New Girl), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Lena Dunham (Girls), and Globes host Amy Poehler for her role as Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation.

Best Supporting Actress in a series, mini-series, or TV movie will see Jacqueline Bisset (Dancing on the Edge), Janet McTeer (The White Queen), Hayden Panettiere (Nashville), Monica Potter (Parenthood) and Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) battle it out.

Josh Charles (The Good Wife), Rob Lowe (Behind The Candelabra), Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Corey Stoll (House Of Cards) and Jon Voight (Ray Donovan) are nominated in the equivalent male category.

Best TV Miniseries or Movie sees American Horror Story: Coven, Behind the Candelabra, Dancing on the Edge, Top of the Lake and The White Queen nominated.

In the category for Best Actor in a TV miniseries or Movie, Matt Damon and Michael Douglas will be up against each other for their roles in Behind The Candelabra, while British stars Chiwetel Ejifor and Idris Elba will be hoping for a film and TV double, with the two also nominated for their leading roles in Dancing On The Edge and Luther.

Al Pacino has also been nominated for Phil Spector.

In the female equivalent category, Jessica Lange has been nominated once more for American Horror Story, and this time as Fiona Goode in Coven; while Helena Bonham Carter has also received a nod for her role as Elizabeth Taylor in Burton And Taylor.

First time nominee, Rebecca Ferguson is also nominated for her role in The White Queen, and fellow Brit Helen Mirren for her role in Phil Spector.

Mad Men star Elisabeth Moss received a nod too for her role in Jane Campion's Top Of The Lake.

Miss Golden Globe this year is Sosie Bacon, the 21-year old daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgewick.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will return as hosts at the awards held on Sunday, January 12, having received great praise for their presenting skills.

But they did manage to fall foul of Taylor Swift, after making a joke about her staying away from Michael J. Fox's son during the ceremony.

Best Actress in a mini-series or TV movie
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven
Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor
Rebecca Ferguson, The White Queen
Helen Mirren, Phil Spector
Elisabeth Moss, Top of the Lake

Best Actor in a mini-series or TV movie
Matt Damon, Behind the Candelabra
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge
Idris Elba, Luther
Al Pacino, Phil Spector

Best Supporting Actress in a series, mini-series, or TV movie
Jacqueline Bisset, Dancing on the Edge
Janet McTeer, The White Queen
Hayden Panettiere , Nashville
Monica Potter, Parenthood
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actor in a series, mini-series or TV movie
Josh Charles, The Good Wife
Rob Lowe, Behind the Candelabra
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
Corey Stoll, House of Cards
Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

Best Foreign Language Film
Blue Is The Warmest Color (France)
The Great Beauty (Italy)
The Hunt (Denmark)
The Past (Iran)
The Wind Rises (Japan)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Spike Jonze, Her
Bob Nelson, Nebraska
Jeff Pope Steve Philomena
John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell, American Hustle

Best Actress in a TV Series, Comedy
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Lena Dunham, Girls
Julia Louis Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
All Is Lost
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Gravity
The Book Thief
12 Years a Slave

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
Atlas/Hunger Games - Chris Martin
Let it Go/Frozen - Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez
Ordinary Love/Mandela - U2
Please Mr Kennedy/Inside - Ed Rush, T-Bone, Justin Timberlake, Coen
Sweeter Than Fiction/One Chance - Taylor Swift

Best Actor, TV Series Comedy
Jason Bateman, Arrested
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Michael J. Fox, The Michael J. Fox Show
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Andy Samberg, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Best TV Series, Comedy
The Big Bang Theory
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Girls
Modern Family
Parks and Recreation

Best TV Miniseries or Movie
American Horror Story: Coven
Behind the Candelabra
Dancing on the Edge
Top of the Lake
The White Queen

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Spike Jonze, Her
Bob Nelson, Nebraska
Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan, Philomena
John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
David O. Russell and Eric Singer Warren, American Hustle

Best Actress in a TV series, drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good WifeTatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
Taylor Schilling, Orange is the New Black
Kerry Washington, Scandal
Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best supporting Actor in a motion picture
Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Daniel Bruhl, Rush
Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Best Director – motion picture
Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Alexander Payne, Nebraska
David O. Russell, American Hustle
Christian Bale, American Hustle
Bruce Dern, Nebraska
Leonardo Dicaprio, Wolf of Wall Street
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Joaquin Phoenix, Her

Best supporting Actress in a motion picture
Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
Julia Roberts, August Osage County
June Squibb, Nebraska

Best Actress in a motion picture, drama
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock, Gravity
Judi Dench, Philomena
Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
Kate Winslet, Labour Day

Best Actress in a motion picture, musical or comedy
Amy Adams, American Hustle
Julie Delphy, Before Midnight
Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said
Meryl Streep, August Osage County

Best Animated Feature film
The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Frozen

Best Actor in a motion picture, drama
Chiwetel Ejiofor,12 years a Slave
Idris Elba, Mandela
Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
Robert Redford, All is Lost

Best motion picture, drama
12 Years a Slave
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Philomena
Rush

Best motion picture, musical or comedy
American Hustle
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Wolf of Wall Street