Josh Brolin has expressed his frustration over Denis Villeneuve’s omission from the 2025 Academy Awards’ Best Director nominations for Dune: Part Two. The sequel to the 2021 sci-fi epic follows Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, as he joins forces with Chani, portrayed by Zendaya, and the Fremen to seek revenge against those responsible for destroying his family. Brolin, who plays Gurney Halleck in the franchise, had previously joked about quitting acting if Villeneuve did not receive a Best Director nomination for the film, which has been widely acclaimed.
In a recent Instagram story, Brolin addressed the snub, while also acknowledging the recognition the film has received in categories such as Best Picture, Cinematography, Visual Effects, Production Design, and Sound. Despite celebrating these achievements, he described the decision to exclude Villeneuve as illogical, emphasizing that the director and his team deserved acknowledgment for their extraordinary work on what he considers an even better installment than the first film. Brolin wrote, “Just want to say congratulations on the ‘Dune’ Best Picture nomination, to Greig Fraser on cinematography, for best visual effects, for Patrice [Vermette] on production design, and for sound. Apparently, I am going to quit acting because Denis Villeneuve didn’t get nominated. This is just how this thing works. It makes no sense to me. That’s okay. [Editor] Joe Walker and Denis, you deserve it. It’s an amazing film. It was even better than the first one. The people who have gotten accolades surely deserve it. Happy to be a part of it. Congrats everyone.”
Villeneuve’s exclusion from the Best Director category is surprising, particularly given his previous nomination for Dune (2021), which earned ten Academy Award nominations and won six. The director’s meticulous approach to the sequel expanded on Frank Herbert’s books, delivering a visually stunning and narratively rich continuation of the story. His leadership was critical in shaping Dune: Part Two into a technical and critical success, making his absence from the category all the more notable.
Brolin’s reaction also highlights a larger frustration surrounding Villeneuve’s recognition in the industry. In November 2024, the actor had remarked that if the Academy Awards held any value, they would nominate Villeneuve for his directorial work on the sequel. This is not the first time Villeneuve has been overlooked; he was similarly snubbed for a directing nomination for Dune: Part One. Despite being regarded as one of the most in-demand filmmakers of his generation, Villeneuve has only received a single Best Director nomination for The Arrival.
The Academy’s decision to exclude Villeneuve from a category that includes Sean Baker (Anora), Brady Corbet (The Brutalist), James Mangold (A Complete Unknown), Jacques Audiard (Emilia Pérez), and Coralie Fargeat (The Substance) raises questions about how directors are evaluated when their films dominate other categories. While Dune: Part Two is expected to perform well in technical categories, Villeneuve’s omission suggests a potential disconnect between recognizing individual direction and collective team efforts.
Despite the snub, Dune: Part Two remains a strong contender in numerous categories, continuing to solidify the franchise’s reputation as a groundbreaking achievement in science fiction cinema. For now, Brolin’s comments underscore the ongoing debate over how artistic contributions are measured and recognized in the film industry.