‘Dune: Part Two’ Score Submitted for Oscars Despite Not Meeting Eligibility Requirements; ‘I Don’t Think This Is Over Yet,’ Says Denis Villeneuve (EXCLUSIVE)

Warner Bros. and the “Dune: Part Two” team are not backing down from their Oscar ambitions, still hoping for recognition for Hans Zimmer’s powerful score.

As first reported by Variety in October, Zimmer’s music for Denis Villeneuve‘s sci-fi epic faced a speed bump when an independent review questioned whether the score met the Academy’s eligibility standards. However, it had not been officially submitted at the time. The issue arose because Zimmer’s score includes thematic elements from his Academy Award-winning work on 2021’s “Dune,” which could potentially exceed the limit for pre-existing music allowed under the Academy’s guidelines.

Related Stories

VIP+

Latest Music Licensing Deals Underscore Social Media Giants’ Frenemy Status

Prostitution and Cloning on the Agenda as ‘Tomorrow and I’ Delivers Thai Sci-fi Anthology for Netflix

Despite these concerns, Variety has now learned exclusively that Warner Bros. has officially submitted Zimmer’s composition for Academy consideration, hopeful that his innovative contributions to the film will meet the requirements and earn a nomination.

The Academy’s Music Branch and other committees have not reviewed the submission. Whether it will be on the ballot will have to remain a mystery until the Oscar shortlist voting period begins on Dec. 9. The Academy will announce 20 shortlisted scores on Dec. 17.

The Academy’s rule on music eligibility for sequels is clear: “In cases such as sequels and franchises from any media, the score must not use more than 20% of pre-existing themes and music borrowed from previous scores in the franchise.” Zimmer’s score for “Dune: Part Two” incorporates key cues from the 2021 film, which many believe may exceed the Academy’s 20% threshold.

Warner Bros. updated its For Your Consideration page on Oct. 30, adding Zimmer’s “Dune: Part Two” score to the official submissions, a move that signals their commitment to garnering awards attention. While the Academy’s decision looms, Zimmer’s work remains eligible for consideration by other influential bodies, including the BAFTAs, Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards, keeping the film’s music in the awards circuit spotlight.

In two upcoming episodes with Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, Villeneuve and Zimmer voiced their perspectives.

Hopeful yet defiant, Villeneuve says, “I don’t think this is over yet… I was there when Hans wrote the music, and he did a tremendous amount of music. ‘Part Two’ is a new score. I don’t accept this because it’s one of the most beautiful scores Hans has ever written, and I would love it, at least, to be considered.”

Villeneuve has been frustrated about getting his composers awards attention before. His 2016 sci-fi drama “Arrival” found Johann Johannson’s score disqualified due to the prominent inclusion of Max Richter’s “On the Nature of Daylight.”

Interestingly, Villeneuve and Zimmer both contend that “Dune: Part Two” is “not a sequel” but more a continuation, arguing that the second film merely completes the cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s iconic 1965 novel.

“It’s called ‘Dune: Part Two,’ not ‘Dune 2,’” Zimmer clarifies. “The story starts the second we finish the first movie. We are still within that story, those characters, and it would be foolish and completely uncinematic to go and write new themes for the characters instead of enlarging the theme.”

Despite the Academy’s pending decision, Zimmer’s status as one of the major contenders for the awards season remains undisputed. His work on Steve McQueen’s World War II drama “Blitz” is also up for Oscar consideration.

Zimmer’s illustrious career spans over four decades, solidifying him as a fixture in modern cinema with 12 Oscar nominations. His career-defining wins include “The Lion King” (1994) and “Dune.” Additionally, Zimmer has earned four Grammy Awards, six Emmy nominations and even a Tony nod, making him one of the most versatile, influential and awarded composers in Hollywood.

“Dune: Part Two” continues the grand, hazardous saga of Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, as he navigates a universe rife with new alliances and adversaries. The film features an all-star cast, including Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Javier Bardem and Christopher Walken, adding to the cinematic spectacle Villeneuve has crafted. “Dune: Part Two” is now streaming on Max.