With the 2025 Oscars nominations having been announced, it now seems that Denis Villeneuve will never get a Best Director nomination at the Oscars
for his groundbreaking work on the movies of the epic sci-fi Dune saga. Villeneuve’s Dune and Dune: Part Two have been lauded by critics for their sprawling, complex rendering of the story found in Frank Herbert’s Dune book series. With lofty world-building, detailed politics, thought-provoking queries about leadership, and powerhouse performances from an all-star cast, Dune is a new franchise that should stand alongside some of the most successful sci-fi-fantasy stories of all time.
The Academy, at least in part, seems to agree. Both of Villeneuve’s Dune movies so far have secured Best Picture nominations, still a relatively rare feat for the sci-fi genre, as well as major blockbusters, in addition to a slew of other nominations each. However, Villeneuve has been noticeably absent from the Best Director category on both occasions, perhaps even more shocking the second time around given the second movie’s increased praise and the comparison to the directors who were nominated. Sadly, after Dune‘s Best Director snub in 2025, a sequel isn’t likely to rectify this.
Denis Villeneuve Is Unlikely To Get A Best Director Oscar Nomination For Dune 3
He Wasn’t Nominated For Dune 1 Or 2, So Why Would He Get Dune 3?
All critics and moviegoers will have their own opinions on who is most deserving of the five coveted Best Director nominations each year, and there was doubtlessly strong competition in both 2021 and now in 2025, but the fact remains that Villeneuve didn’t make the cut either time. Whether this be because of a lingering bias against blockbusters, or Dune not being as big as The Lord of the Rings once was, Academy voters haven’t considered Villeneuve’s management of the A-list cast, expansive on-location filming, grandiose story, or the countless other details to measure up to other nominees.
Related
Oscars 2025 Best Director Nominees & Predicted Winner
The Oscars 2025 Best Director race has some key Hollywood filmmakers in the mix. Here’s who we predict will be nominated and win the Academy Award.
Which is somewhat confusing, given that both Dune movies are considered Best Picture material, which also speaks to overall quality. However, this history strongly suggests that things aren’t going to change when it comes to Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three. More than likely, the third modern Dune film will demonstrate the same scale and quality in all its technical aspects and will garner a few nominations in other categories, but there will again be strong competition from returning Oscar-nominated directors and potential newcomers, and Villeneuve’s style of directing will still be viewed the same way it is now.
Dune 3 Could Be Too Strange For The Academy To Recognize
Messiah Will Be Especially Challenging For Filmmakers & Audiences
Dune is already not the easiest sci-fi story to understand. The two Dune movies so far are an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s first book, with the third movie set to adapt the sequel novel, Dune Messiah. The previous movies deal with political machinations that span generations, the somewhat abstract abilities of Paul and a few of his family members, and heavy philosophical and moral debates. All of this will only get more complicated, in addition to some wild sci-fi concepts that will make up weird moments in Dune 3 that audiences are not prepared for.
If the story has simply become too strange and too demanding to allow viewers to fully appreciate it, it may prove to be even more difficult for Villeneuve to secure a directing nomination.
After a 12-year time jump, Paul has been ruling as emperor for some time and is now dealing with attempts to overthrow him. The story will see the practices of the Bene Tleilax, the raising of the dead, and Paul’s children inheriting his clairvoyant abilities. This may be a lot for critics and audiences alike to process. If the story has simply become too strange and too demanding to allow viewers to fully appreciate it, it may prove to be even more difficult for Villeneuve to secure a directing nomination — which he does deserve.
Denis Villeneuve Not Getting A Best Director Oscar Nomination For The Dune Movies Would Be Disappointing
Dune Is One Of The Great Modern Film Sagas & The Director Deserves Recognition
Overall, Villeneuve’s work on Dune looks to, unfortunately, be going down in cinematic history as being underappreciated and regularly snubbed. Many are inclined to compare it to Lord of the Rings, as an epic sci-fi counterpart to the landmark fantasy series. However, Peter Jackson was nominated for Best Director twice for Lord of the Rings, winning for the third installment. Lord of the Rings may be considered slightly better than Dune, but the two are very similar in scope. Ultimately, no other fantasy or sci-fi movie series is regularly getting nominated for Oscars the way these two have.
Dune: Part Two
9/10
- Release Date
-
February 27, 2024
If the zeitgeist considers Lord of the Rings to be Jackson’s vision and masterpiece, then Dune is the same for Villeneuve. He is responsible for seeing the entire project come together, one which is almost universally regarded as a brilliant cinema, and has taken immense time to make sure the difficult story is adapted correctly. With fantasy and sci-fi becoming more common in movies and TV, Villeneuve’s work might not seem as groundbreaking as Jackson’s. The Oscars may have lost sight of the kind of work it takes to direct something like Dune, which the next movie probably won’t change.
Oscars
- Location
-
Los Angeles, CA
- Dates
-
March 2, 2025
- Website
-
https://www.oscars.org/