It may be among the most epic scores of the year, but legendary composer Hans Zimmer's score for Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two will not feature in the Best Original Score category at the 97th Academy Awards.
The film earned critical acclaim and audience appreciation upon its release this March. Viewers and film critics appreciated it for its storytelling, visuals, and Zimmer's music. However, the Academy's preexisting music restriction makes it ineligible for the 2025 Oscars.
"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," said the Academy.
Zimmer’s composition has considerable portions from his own score for Dune, so it falls beyond the Academy's eligibility requirements.
That said, it is eligible for other recognitions such as the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, the Grammys, and BAFTA. And Zimmer is in contention for a Best Original Score Oscar for his work on Steve McQueen’s forthcoming Second World War drama Blitz.