Hans Zimmer's critically-acclaimed 'Dune: Part Two' score not eligible for Oscars. Here’s why

Music composer Hans Zimmer's score for ‘Dune: Part Two’ is out of the race for the Oscars, though it was considered one of the strongest contenders at the upcoming edition of the Academy Awards for Best Original Score. The score is not eligible for this year’s Oscars as it surpassed the Academy’s limit on pre-existing music; therefore, it cannot be nominated in the best original score category, reports ‘Variety’.

‘Dune: Part Two’, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was met with critical acclaim when it hit theatres in March. Both critics and audiences lauded the film’s visuals, storytelling, and, most notably, the music score by Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer. As per ‘Variety’, the Academy’s rule states that "in cases such as sequels and franchises from any media, the score must not use more than 20 per cent of pre-existing themes and music borrowed from previous scores in the franchise".

Since Zimmer’s composition for ‘Dune: Part Two’ incorporates substantial elements from his work on 2021’s "Dune", it falls outside of the eligibility criteria.

However, Zimmer’s work on ‘Dune 2’ remains in contention to be recognised by other awards bodies, including the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTA, and even the Grammys. Additionally, Zimmer’s score for Steve McQueen’s upcoming World War II drama ‘Blitz’ remains eligible, providing the composer another shot at Academy recognition this year. Zimmer and McQueen have previously collaborated on ‘Widows’ and the Best Picture winner ‘12 Years a Slave’.

This latest development adds ‘Dune: Part Two’ to the list of exceptional film scores deemed ineligible for Oscar consideration by the Academy’s Music Branch. Other notable examples include Johann Johannsson’s score for ‘Arrival’, Cliff Martinez’s work in ‘Drive’, and Clint Mansell’s music in ‘Black Swan’. One of the most egregious examples involves composer Jonny Greenwood, whose work on ‘There Will Be Blood’ and ‘The Master’ was also disqualified from the Oscars.