Josh Brolin Threatens to Quit Acting Over Potential ‘Dune 2’ Snub

Josh Brolin is immensely proud of his work in Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epics Dune and this year's Dune: Part Two. With Oscars nominations less than two months away, Brolin, like countless others in the entertainment industry, are looking toward the accolades and hoping the right movies and talents will be recognized. His highest hope, however, isn't for him. 

In a new interview with Variety, Brolin shared his honest thoughts about this year's Best Director race, which he hopes to see Villeneuve excel in. The Canadian filmmaker was famously snubbed from the category after the 2021 installment and Brolin is issuing a serious threat if Villeneuve doesn't get a nod this year. 

"If he doesn’t get nominated this year, I’ll quit acting," the True Grit star stated plainly. “It was a better movie than the first one. When I watched it, it felt like my brain was broken open. It’s masterful, and Denis is one of our master filmmakers. If the Academy Awards have any meaning whatsoever, they’ll recognize him."

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Dune: Part Two, unlike many movie sequels, received better reviews than the first film. Brolin plays Gurney Halleck, a mentor to Timothée Chalamet's character Paul Atreides. Whether or not he continues to reprise his role seemingly depends on Villeneuve's fate in this year's Oscars race. 

The prequel TV series Dune: Prophecy currently airs every Sunday on HBO. Dune: Messiah, the third film in the new Dune universe, is reportedly slated for release in December 2026. The 2025 Academy Awards, meanwhile, are set for March 2, 2025 with Conan O'Brien as host.