Dune: Part Two is planning to submit to an Oscar category for which it did not meet the eligibility requirements. The sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dunethe sci-fi sequel continued adapting Frank Herbert’s story of Paul Atreides. The epic film featured an A-list cast including Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler. Dune: Part Two it received positive reviews upon its release, leading it to be an Oscar contender.
According to Variety, Dune: Part Two it is now being submitted for an Oscar category for which it was previously considered unqualified. The aforementioned category is Best Original Score by composer Hans Zimmer. According to the source, Warner Bros. officially announced the presentation of Zimmer’s soundtrack for the Oscars. This comes before the list is announced on December 17th.
What this means for Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two Score Was Previously Deemed Ineligible
This news comes after a report that Dune: Part Two was previously disqualified from the Best Original Score award. This lost eligibility occurred as a result of the Academy’s rule that “In cases such as sequels and franchises of any media, the score must not use more than 20% of pre-existing themes and songs borrowed from previous scores in the franchise.“It was thought that Zimmer’s score for Dune: Part Two used enough 2021 themes Dune that may exceed this limit. He would still be eligible for other major awards.
The fact that Warner Bros. still shipping Dune: Part TwoThe consideration score indicates that the studio believes there is at least a chance of meeting eligibility requirements. In fact, director Villeneuve stated that he “was there when Hans wrote the song, and he made a huge amount of songs“, and even more frankly stated that”‘Part Two’ is a new score.” If the Academy sides with Villeneuve, it’s very possible that Zimmer’s acclaimed score will appear on December’s shortlist.
Our Take on Dune: Part Two of the Scoring Debacle
Eligibility requirements are not entirely specific
In the absence of careful examination of both scores, it is difficult to say whether Dune: Part Two meets the eligibility requirements or not. The Academy also doesn’t explicitly specify what counts as a previous film’s “theme,” making the guidelines somewhat dependent on interpretation. Zimmer is an acclaimed film composer who has been nominated for multiple Oscars, so he would be a force to be reckoned with if he were nominated. It remains to be seen whether he will reach that point as the Academy confronts Warner Bros. presentation of the score.
Source: Variety