Denis Villeneuve has openly criticized the Academy Awards for deciding that Hans Zimmer's score for 'Dune: Part Two' is ineligible for the Best Original Score category.
- Jan 8, 2025
AceShowbiz - The Academy Awards' decision to disqualify Hans Zimmer's score for "Dune: Part Two" has sparked significant controversy. Zimmer, who is celebrated for his genius in film scoring, was deemed ineligible because the sequel reportedly reused too much music from the first "Dune" film, which was released in 2021.
Denis Villeneuve, the visionary director behind these epic adaptations of Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi novels, did not hold back his disappointment.
"I am absolutely against the decision of the Academy to exclude Hans, frankly, because I feel like his score is one of the best scores of the year," Villeneuve said at a Director's Guild screening, according to SlashFilm. "I don't use the word genius often, but Hans is one."
Villeneuve explained that the continuation in the soundtrack is natural, given that "Dune: Part One" and "Part Two" are intended to be two halves of one grand cinematic narrative. "The soundtrack is really a continuity of Part One," he emphasized, adding, "I'm not here to complain."
This setback hasn't overshadowed the overall success of the "Dune" franchise. Villeneuve's first adaptation, released in 2021, was a critical and commercial triumph, earning six Oscars, including Best Original Score, and grossing over $400 million worldwide. "Dune: Part Two" has even surpassed these benchmarks, accumulating more than $700 million at the box office and scoring a stellar 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite the Oscar snub, Zimmer's work has not gone unrecognized. He was nominated for Best Original Score at the 82nd Golden Globes although he did not win. Fans of the franchise can still enjoy his evocative compositions in the broader context of the series, which also includes the prequel streaming series "Dune: Prophecy" on HBO and Max.
Excitement continues to build as Villeneuve prepares for the third installment in the franchise, "Dune Messiah", which is expected to begin filming in late 2025 or early 2026. According to industry reports, the enduring interest in the "Dune" universe could even lead to a fourth movie, solidifying its place as a beloved and monumental saga in science fiction cinema.
