Josh Brolin goes on wild rant over Dune 2 Oscars snub as he threatens to QUIT acting

Josh Brolin vented his frustration at Dune: Part Two filmmaker Denis Villeneuve not receiving a Best Director nod as Academy Awards nominations were announced Thursday, sarcastically saying he was going to quit acting.

The 56-year-old actor previously told Variety in November that he felt Villeneuve, 57, was blatantly snubbed by the Academy after he was not nominated for the first Dune movie, which was released in late 2021.

Brolin, who reprised his role of Gurney Halleck in the sci-fi sequel, made a jaw-dropping pledge if Villeneuve were to be snubbed for the critically-acclaimed sequel.

'If he doesn't get nominated this year, I'll quit acting,' Brolin told the outlet last fall. 'It was a better movie than the first one ... it's masterful, and Denis is one of our master filmmakers. 

'If the Academy Awards have any meaning whatsoever, they'll recognize him.'

Villeneuve again was snubbed on Thursday, as he was excluded from the list of Best Achievement in Directing nominees, which included The Brutalist's Brady Corbet, Emilia Pérez's Jacques Audiard, Anora's Sean Baker, The Substance's Coralie Fargeat and A Complete Unknown's James Mangold.

The Santa Monica, California native, who appeared to be sitting on his couch in his home, made a reference to his previous vow in an Instagram Stories clip reacting to the Villeneuve snub.

'Apparently, I am going to quit acting because Denis Villeneuve didn't get nominated,' Brolin said. 'This is just how this thing works. It makes no sense to me. That's okay.'

In all, Dune: Part Two was nominated for five Oscars Thursday: Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Sound, Best Achievement in Visual Effects, Best Achievement in Cinematography and Best Achievement in Production Design. 

Brolin, who plays Thanos in the Avengers films, sent congratulations in the clip to his Dune: Part Two collaborators on the movie for their nominations.

'Just want to say congratulations on the Dune best picture nomination,' he said, 'to Greig Fraser on cinematography, for best visual effects, for Patrice [Vermett] on production design and for sound.

'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.'

Others in the industry appeared to echo Brolin's sentiments on the snub of Villeneuve, who was nominated for a Critics Choice Award for his direction on the motion picture.

Spider-Verse producer Chris Miller said on X/Twitter Thursday, 'There were many films that had great directing this year but what Denis did - in all aspects of the craft - was masterful.' 

Dune: Part Two's 2021 predecessor Dune: Part One won six Oscars on 10 nominations. 

Brolin in February of 2022 said the Academy looked 'dumb' not nominating the director of a movie that garnered 10 nods.

'I don't know how you get 10 nominations and then the guy who has done the impossible with that book doesn't get nominated,' Brolin said on Instagram. 'It makes you realize that it's all amazing and then it's all f***ing totally dumb.

'So congratulations for the amazing accomplishments that these incredibly talented people have been acknowledged for, because it's all really, really dumb.'

Brolin past received his lone Oscar nomination a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nod in 2009 for his performance in Milk.

Villeneuve has been nominated for four Oscars in the past; once for Best Director for 2016's Arrival; and once for Best Adapted Screenplay for 2021's Dune: Part One.