Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has slammed the Academy’s decision to disqualify Hans Zimmer’s score from Oscar contention.
In October 2024, the Academy ruled Zimmer’s work ineligible because it contains too much preexisting music from Dune, exceeding the allowed limit for the Best Original Score category.
Zimmer previously won the Oscar for his Dune score.
As per SlashFilm, during a recent Director’s Guild of America screening in New York Villeneuve voiced his disappointment.
Villeneuve said, “I am absolutely against the Academy’s decision to exclude Hans.”
“I feel like his score is one of the best of the year.”
“I don’t use the word ‘genius’ often, but Hans is one.”
Though frustrated by the ruling, Villeneuve maintained a diplomatic tone.
He added with a touch of humour, “I’m not here to complain. The soundtrack is really a continuation of Part One.”
Villeneuve further remarked that Dune: Part Two is deeply connected to its predecessor and described the two films as “one big movie cut in half,” with the score serving as a bridge between them.
Despite Zimmer’s disqualification, Dune: Part Two is still expected to garner several Oscar nominations, particularly in technical categories.
The first Dune film earned 10 nominations and won six, including Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
After David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, Denis Villeneuve revisited the classic novel with his own take in Dune (2021) and last year’s Dune: Part Two.
The first film won six Oscars, and together, the two movies have grossed a combined $1.12 billion worldwide.
The franchise has also expanded into television with the prequel series Dune: Prophecy, which recently premiered on Max.
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