Denis Villeneuve is not holding himself back! He seems pretty pissed off at the Academy’s decision to disqualify Hans Zimmer’s Dune: Part Two score from consideration in the category of Best Original Score at the 2025 Oscars. As per the Academy’s regulations, movies must have at least 80% of original compositions to qualify. However, Zimmer’s score was not taken into consideration as it contained substantial elements from Part One’s score.
Apart from Villeneuve, this decision has also not sat well with the fans, as they believe that Zimmer’s score is one of the best scores of 2024. This decision surely comes as a surprise, given that Zimmer bagged the same Oscar back in 2021 for Dune: Part One.
In a recent interview with Slash Film, Villeneuve lashed out at the Academy for not considering Zimmer’s Part 2 score. The sequel’s score seems heavily inspired by the first movie’s compositions, but it also features numerous original compositions, such as “Beginnings Are Such Delicate Times,” “Harkonnen Arena,” “Gurney Battle,” and more. This is what Villeneuve said:
“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. I don’t use the word genius often, but Hans is one.”
Villeneuve’s frustration with the Academy’s snub highlights the difficulties sequels encounter when competing for awards. While Zimmer’s music significantly elevates the film, the Academy appears to favour original works over those that continue established themes. The film’s disqualification raises important questions about whether award rules are fair to sequels and ongoing stories, particularly in today’s Hollywood, where franchises are prevalent. You guys can stream Dune: Part Two on JioCinema. Stay tuned for more updates.
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