Summary
- Hans Zimmer will return for Dune: Messiah's music.
- Despite not starting Dune: Messiah's score yet, Zimmer said he will focus on it.
- Zimmer said the score for Dune: Messiah was complicated, but he loved working with its director Denis Villeneuve.
Hans Zimmer will be returning to the Dune franchise for its third installment. The Oscar-winning composer will arrange the music for the third and final film, Dune: Messiah, and he just gave an update about his progress.
Zimmer has been an integral part of the Dune franchise 's success. The musician scored Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024). He received multiple major awards for his work on the first movie, including Best Original Score from Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA. Critics' Choice Movie Award also gave him the Best Score accolade, while the Grammy Award handed him the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media. Zimmer will be working on Dune: Messiah's musical score, and surprisingly, the composer admitted that he has made no progress yet. However, he assured fans that he is on it.
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Zimmer sat down for an interview with Collider's Steve Weintraub for Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert. During the chat, he gave an update about his work for Dune: Messiah. However, fans might be surprised with what he just shared. "Have I started writing [Messiah]? No. Not quite yet," Zimmer said. "Oh, god, it's a very complicated one, but I love working with Denis so I'm actually going to just focus on that, nothing else, and just really spend the time doing it." Zimmer added that it was different for Dune: Part Two because it was written before director Denis Villeneuve and the actors began filming and it happened "because we weren't greenlit for the longest time ." Although he hasn't started on Dune: Messiah's music, fans should not worry because Zimmer said in another interview that he was in constant communication with Villeneuve and he was fully aware of the film's timeline. Zimmer even said it was "happening sooner rather than later."
Meanwhile, Zimmer's work for Dune: Part Two was snubbed at the 2025 Oscars. It was deemed ineligible for the Best Original Score category because the Academy's rule states that a sequel's score must consist of at least 80% new composition. The musician called it a "stupid point." He said he was "disqualified" for using materials from the first film in the sequel. However, the composer explained that the first and second movies have one arc, so he has to keep the same character themes. "So, was I supposed to go and take all the character themes away and write new character themes or develop them? So, it's just a stupid rule, you know? And what I didn't want to do, I didn't want to go and bitch about it," Zimmer explained. Many fans stood by Zimmer following the Oscar snub, saying they were disappointed with the Academy's decision because they believed his work in Dune: Part Two deserved an award. And they were right about it because Zimmer won this year's Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media.
Zimmer is a talented musician and his work speaks for itself. The awards and accolades he received in his previous works for Dune set a positive expectation for Dune: Messiah. Critics and fans have high expectations of him, and this is understandable given his track record. Additionally, Zimmer is known for his innovative compositions and experimental approach, blending traditional orchestration with unique soundscapes to reflect the evolving narrative. He always delivers, especially when it comes to enhancing the emotional depth of the story. Everyone is looking forward to a score that is innovative and deeply resonant with the film's theme. Hopefully, this time, Oscar will consider it unique enough for him to get another award from the Academy. However, regardless of an Oscar award, Zimmer's talent is unquestionable, and he doesn't need any accolades to prove it.
Dune: Messiah is expected to hit theaters in December 2026.
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Source: Collider