The Academy rejects 'Dune 2' score

Hans Zimmer fails to bag Oscar nomination

The Academy has begun announcing its pick, but Hans Zimmer's score for Dune: Part Two has failed to make the cut, reported Variety. Meeting worldwide fame after its release, the film's iconic score garnered pleasant traction from enthusiasts, especially since the composer himself is lauded in the mainstream for his pieces.

However, the trailblazers of taste for the Oscars were not in agreement. The reason that the epic music doesn't qualify is that it does not abide by the regulations binding sequel themes; this rule states that in the case of sequels and franchises, "the score must not use more than 20% of pre-existing themes and music borrowed from previous scores in the franchise."

The score for Dune: Part Two, however, borrows largely from its predecessor hence falling short of the limitations imposed by the Academy. In an unreleased interview with Variety, Zimmer shared that he doesn't make music to compete for awards, further imparting details on the creative intent behind his musical sequences.

"In the world of storytelling, our purpose is to serve the narrative and connect with the audience," Zimmer said. "The score was always written to expand and evolve its themes and take them, like the book, to a natural ending, planned from the first word to the last note."

Past films whose scores have been denied nominations for similar reasons include Arrival and Black Swan. On the other hand, fortunate scenarios have played out for John Williams, whose work on multiple franchise films has earned him many nominations, such as two for Harry Potter and four for Indiana Jones.

This loss doesn't make Dune: Part Two's score any less incredible. It remains a strong contender in the award-show scene, competing at top events such as the Critics Choice and the Golden Globes, as per Variety. Other than that, it secured the Golden Trailer award for Best Original Score this year, marking itself as a potent competitor in the race.

Additionally, the film has bagged several nominations and awards across multiple categories. Furthermore, the original score for the franchise's first film enabled Zimmer's second Oscar win; the first win was awarded to his work for The Lion King, back in 1994.

The renowned composer has even worked for other multi-million franchises, such as those within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has worked on the scores for Iron Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home, as well as that of the 20th Century Fox production Dark Phoenix.