Hans Zimmer Addresses ‘Dune: Part Two’ Oscars Disqualification: ‘It’s Just a Stupid Rule’

Acclaimed composer Hans Zimmer has reflected on his inability to add another Academy Award to his shelf thanks to Dune: Part Two, noting his disqualification was simply due to a “a stupid rule.”

The German composer has spent more than 35 years working on crafting scores for Hollywood films, with his efforts resulting in two Academy Awards for his efforts. From 12 nominations at the Oscars, Zimmer has taken home the best original score award just twice, once in 1995 for The Lion King, and again in 2022 for his work on Dune.

With director Denis Villeneuve releasing Dune: Part Two in March 2024, many fans could have expected Zimmer to add another feather to his cap thanks to the nascent entry in the franchise. However, in October, Variety reported that Zimmer’s score for the film was deemed ineligible for submission to the Academy Awards due to “surpassing the Academy’s limit on pre-existing music.”

According to the Academy’s rule: “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.” Due to Zimmer’s score for Dune: Part Two incorporating elements and key cues from the Oscar-winning score to 2021’s Dune, it was therefore deemed ineligible for submission.

Though Villeneuve and the film’s team were undeterred in their efforts for Zimmer to be recognized for his work, the score was ultimately disqualified and did not appear on the ballot for consideration. The film did however receive a total of five nominations, taking home best sound and best visual effects at the ceremony on March 2.

In a new interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Zimmer reflected on the small controversy when host Josh Horowitz asked if the disqualification was a “sore point” for the composer.

“It’s not really a sore point. It’s just such a stupid point – how can it be a sore point?” Zimmer asked. “I got disqualified because I was using material from the first movie in the second movie, but it’s not a sequel. It is the completion of the arc, both movies are one arc. 

“So was I supposed to go and take all the character themes away and write new character themes and develop them?” he added. “It’s just a stupid rule. What I didn’t want to do is go and bitch about it.”

Zimmer’s recent comments also continue on from what he told Variety back in October, stating his belief that Dune: Part Two is simply a continuation of the narrative begun in the first film.

“It’s called Dune: Part Two, not Dune 2,” he explained. “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.”

Zimmer is planning to return for Villeneuve’s next film in the series, with Dune: Messiah reportedly set to begin filming in mid-2025.

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