Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two dominated the 2025 Oscar nominations with five nods, including Best Picture and Visual Effects. While the film earned praise for its ambitious storytelling and technical mastery, it fell short of matching the ten nominations secured by its predecessor, Dune (2021), which won six awards. The sequel’s absence from the Best Original Score category, however, sparked controversy.

Composer Hans Zimmer did not hold back after his Dune: Part Two score was disqualified at Oscars 2025.

Hans Zimmer criticized the Academy’s decision to disqualify his Dune: Part Two score from Oscar, labeling the ruling “stupid,” on Josh Horowitz's Happy, Sad, Confused podcast. The composer argued that the film was not a traditional sequel but a continuation of a single narrative arc, making the reuse of themes from Dune essential. Zimmer emphasized he did not want to complain publicly but expressed frustration over the rigidity of Oscar guidelines, which he felt ignored the interconnected storytelling of Villeneuve’s two-part epic.

Academy rules mandate that sequels’ scores contain at least 80% original material; a threshold Zimmer’s work allegedly breached due to its reliance on prior motifs. The Best Original Score award ultimately went to Daniel Blumberg for The Brutalist, leaving Dune: Part Two fans questioning the fairness of the disqualification. Adrien Brody clinched the Best Actor accolade for the same film despite controversy over its alleged use of AI, further fueling disappointment among Timothée Chalamet’s supporters.

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While award season was not what was expected for Dune: Part Two’s, its creative choices deepened its ties to-and departures from Frank Herbert’s original novel.

Like Dune, the sequel stayed faithful to Herbert’s themes of power and prophecy while delivering visually stunning world-building. However, part two eliminated the book’s two-year time jump, opting for a tighter narrative pace. Chani’s role expanded significantly, contrasting with reduced screen time for Princess Irulan and the omission of key characters like Fenring. 

Major plot deviations included Paul killing Baron Harkonnen, a role reserved for Alia in the novel, and Feyd-Rautha’s death scene, which prioritized physical combat over the book’s poisoned blade subplot. Denis Villeneuve’s adjustments sharpened the critique of blind loyalty to leaders, a theme less pronounced in the first film. These bold narrative risks, much like Zimmer’s unapologetic score, left audiences debating whether artistic vision or award rules should dictate cinematic legacy.

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Was The Brutalist’s Oscar win deserved, or did the Academy overlook Dune: Part Two’s brilliance? Share your thoughts below.