"I don't use the word genius often"- Denis Villeneuve hits out at the Academy over the exclusion of Dune: Part Two score
With the major award season coming in, many movies, like Dune: Part Two by Dennis Villeneuve, will be gearing up for some big awards. Despite the critical acclaim and the success of practically every element in the movie, the director has recently expressed his disappointment over the Academy not accepting Dune: Part Two's background score for consideration at the upcoming Oscars.
This is because there is a rule in the Academy Awards that states that a sequel can't use more than 20% of a past entry's music in its score to remain eligible for the famed award. Composer Hans Zimmer, evidently, used the same primary motif in both movies, leading to Dune: Part Two's disqualification from the award.
However, Villeneuve, widely considered one of the greatest active directors in the industry right now, hit back at the Academy for this decision, claiming that he was not satisfied by this exclusion and felt that this was one of the best scores of the year. The latter part of the opinion is also shared by most fans. The veteran director said at the Director's Guild of America in New York on January 2, 2025:
"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."
He further explained how Dune: Part Two was a direct continuity of the first film and hence shared the score. Of course, it still does not fall under the eligibility criteria for the award.
Denis Villeneuve believes the soundtrack of Dune: Part Two is a continuation of the first part
Just like the movie itself, Dune: Part Two's soundtrack is in complete continuity with the first part. Villeneuve explained that because of the film's nature, it was not really possible to have a new soundtrack as it is more like a film that has been cut in two halves.
During his talk at the Director's Guild of America, Villeneuve further said:
"[The soundtrack is] rooted in Part One, of course, because there is a continuity...one big movie that is cut in half...I’m not here to complain...The soundtrack is really a continuity of Part One."
However, as per Academy rules, despite how great the music by Hans Zimmer is in the grand second part of Dune, there is no way around to include it in the list.
Perhaps it is of little comfort to the director and the composer that the first film's soundtrack did win the Oscars. So, if the soundtrack is a continuation indeed, it has already won the most prestigious award there is to win.
However, it is also worth noting that the second film in the franchise did have a hoard of new music, which will perhaps not get the desired recognition from the Academy. The motifs and primary theme, though, remained the same.
Given that there are still more movies to come in the universe, perhaps the ambitious project based on Dune: Messiah, will once again be eligible for the Oscars.
All of the previous projects helmed by Villeneuve, including Arrival and Prisoners, were also noted for their background scores.
Dune: Part Two is available for streaming on Max. It is also available for purchase or rent on all major platforms.
