Josh Brolin Will Quit Acting If Dune 2 Director Isn’t Nominated

The nominations for the 2025 Oscars may be a few months away, but one of the actors from Dune: Part Two is already voicing his hopes. In a recent conversation with Variety, Josh Brolin expressed that he would take extreme measures if Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve fails to receive a nomination for Best Director. “If he doesn’t get nominated this year, I’ll quit acting,” Brolin stated emphatically.

Brolin elaborated on his rationale, asserting that Villeneuve’s directorial effort deserves significant recognition from the Academy through an Oscar nod. “It’s an even better film than the first. Watching it was an eye-opening experience for me. It’s a masterwork, and Denis stands as one of our greatest filmmakers,” Brolin claimed. “If the Oscars mean anything at all, they’ll honor him.”

It’s important to remember that the first installment, Dune: Part One, garnered 10 nominations at the Oscars in 2022 and won several awards including Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Editing, and Best Cinematography. Villeneuve himself was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay that year but notably did not receive a Best Director nomination, which went to Jane Campion for The Power of the Dog. Remarkably, Villeneuve has only been nominated for Best Director once, for the acclaimed sci-fi film Arrival in 2017.

Notably, Villeneuve and Brolin share a collaborative history that dates back to their first project together, the 2015 film Sicario. Their partnership continued with Dune: Part One, creating a sense of reunion for the two artists. While Dune: Part One received praise, Dune: Part Two has been celebrated as an even more impressive feat since its release earlier this year.

Whether this acclaim translates into Oscar nominations and victories is yet to be determined. However, one thing is clear: there will be at least one disappointed party if Villeneuve is overlooked again.

Dune: Part Two is currently available for streaming on Max.