Dune’s Josh Brolin Doubles Down on Quitting Acting After Oscar Snub

Part Two”, has reiterated his earlier statement about quitting acting if director Denis Villeneuve wasn’t nominated for an Oscar. This year, Villeneuve didn’t receive a nomination in the Best Director category at the 97th Academy Awards. Brolin had previously threatened to stop acting if this happened, and now he’s reinforcing that promise, expressing confusion about the situation as it seems illogical to him. He also expressed appreciation for the work of “Dune: Part Two” editor Joe Walker, who was similarly overlooked in these awards.

In his post, Brolin extended his congratulations to those nominated for Dune: Part Two, specifically cinematographer Greg Fraser and production designer Patrice Vermett. “This movie is fantastic,” he noted, adding that it surpassed the original. “Those who have been recognized with accolades truly deserve it,” Brolin wrote. “I’m thrilled to be a part of it. Congratulations to everyone!

In a twist from its 2021 precursor, “Dune: Part Two” received five Oscar nominations but fell short in comparison to the ten nods earned by the original “Dune”. The categories it was recognized in were Best Picture, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design. Denis Villeneuve, who was previously nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for the first “Dune”, is now credited as one of the producers on the Best Picture nomination for “Dune: Part Two”. However, he did not receive a nomination for Best Director this time around.

Despite Villeneuve receiving Best Director nominations from several film critic organizations, he was not recognized by some prominent Oscar precursors like the Golden Globes and the Directors Guild Awards. In this year’s Oscars, the Best Director category includes Brady Corbet for “The Brutalist”, Jacques Audiard for “Emilia Pérez”, Sean Baker for “Anora”, Coralie Fargeat for “The Substance”, and James Mangold for “A Complete Unknown”.

It remains to be seen if Brolin’s statement about retiring from acting was an exaggeration, but it’s clear why he feels let down by Villeneuve not being recognized. The Dune films are renowned for their stunning technical feats, immersing viewers in the world of Arrakis thanks to Villeneuve’s unique style and meticulous attention to detail. Shortly following the release of Dune: Part Two last year, none other than Steven Spielberg praised Villeneuve, saying, “You have created one of the most brilliant science-fiction films I’ve ever seen.” While the nominated directors certainly deserve recognition, Villeneuve would have been a worthy recipient of the Best Director award. Even if he wasn’t a favorite to win, it would have been gratifying for sci-fi enthusiasts to see him acknowledged for his remarkable work on the adaptation.

Denis Villeneuve gets another opportunity to claim Dune Oscar honors since he’s working on Dune: Messiah before parting ways with the series. There’s a chance the Academy might follow the example of the Return of the King and acknowledge Villeneuve for his overall contribution across all three movies, but considering that he has already been overlooked twice, it seems that Dune may not appeal to the director branch. Despite this potential disappointment, there’s a possibility that Villeneuve could eventually secure an Oscar win in the future. With just one Best Director nomination (for Arrival) and several notable omissions on his resume, Villeneuve is gradually constructing a persuasive “long-overdue” storyline that the Academy often finds hard to resist.

2025-01-23 23:09

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