DGA Nominations: Jane Campion, Kenneth Branagh and Denis Villeneuve Lead the Directors Field

Zack Sharf Any “Dune” fan disappointed with Dave Bautista’s lack of screen time in the 10-time Oscar-nominated epic are in luck, as director Denis Villeneuve promises a lot more “Harkonnen stuff” is coming in the sequel. Bautista stars in the “Dune” franchise as Glossu Rabban, the sadistic nephew of the villainous Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård). Villeneuve told Empire magazine that reducing Harkonnen screen time in “Dune” was simply the result of the adaptation process and spreading Frank Herbert’s novel across two films.“When you adapt, you have to make bold choices in order for the things to come to life,” Villeneuve said.

Denis Villeneuve insists he's "deeply pleased" with the Oscar nods for 'Dune' - despite his director snub. The 54-year-old filmmaker helmed the first of a planned two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 classic sci-fi novel of the same name and admitted being recognised by the Academy is "really moving" as it was unexpected. Speaking in an interview with MovieMaker, Villeneuve said: “Frankly, if you had told me a few months ago that we’d be in the Oscar race, that we’d have that kind of recognition, I would have not believed you.

Zack Sharf Denis Villeneuve recently told MovieMaker magazine that he is “deeply pleased” with “Dune” landing 10 Oscar nominations, second only to Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” as the most nominated film at the 94th Academy Awards. While “Dune” broke into the best picture race and landed nominations in every craft category, Villeneuve himself got shut out of the best director race.

When it comes to awards snubs, Josh Brolin has Denis Villeneuve’s back.

Clayton Davis After years of trying, does Netflix finally have the suitable film, at the right time, to win the coveted top category at the Academy Awards — and become the first streamer to do so?Based on the showing for “The Power of the Dog” at the Feb. 8 nominations announcement — it leads the field with 12 — it sure looks like it might.Netflix received its first feature film Oscar nominations for “Mudbound,” a groundbreaking 2017 release recognized in four categories, including Rachel Morrison for cinematography.

William Earl PGA-nominated producers will gather on Feb. 23 for Variety FYC Fest: The Producers, for exclusive conversations about the top films and television shows of the year.

Clayton Davis The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced a new date for their annual Governors Awards to honor Danny Glover, Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullman.

Dune is a three-year-plus battle long-fought, and well won by Denis Villeneuve, even if he was boxed out of the Best Director category at the Oscars.

Oscar more than once.The director of The Power of the Dog earned a nod today (February 8) at the 2022 Oscars for her revisionist Netflix Western starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.Campion was nominated for Best Director for The Piano in 1993, which also won her the Palme D’Or prize in Cannes that year.This year, she’s nominated alongside Kenneth Branagh, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Steven Spielberg. It also marks the first time the Academy has nominated a woman for Best Director in two years in a row, after Emerald Fennell and Chloé Zhao were nominated last year.Seven women have been nominated for Best Director in the history of the Oscars: Lina Wertmüller, Sofia Coppola, Kathryn Bigelow, Greta Gerwig, Chloé Zhao, Emerald Fennell and Jane Campion.

Clayton Davis Along with being one of the favorites in the best picture category, “Belfast” shepherded producer, writer and director Kenneth Branagh into Oscars history books.With nominations for best picture (as one of the film’s producers) and original screenplay, Branagh is the first person to be nominated in seven individual Oscar categories, surpassing George Clooney, Alfonso Cuarón and Walt Disney, who were recognized in six.In addition, Branagh joins Clooney and Warren Beatty as the only people to have received noms in every eligible major category — picture, director, lead or supporting acting and both original and adapted screenplay.Prior to nominations, he received five noms over his respectable career, across different categories — director (“Henry V”), actor (“Henry V”), supporting actor (“My Week With Marilyn”), adapted screenplay (“Hamlet”) and live-action short (“Swan Song”). Branagh has been a respected actor and director for over three decades.

Zack Sharf Jane Campion has entered the Oscars history books following the 2022 nominations, as the New Zealand helmer is now the first woman filmmaker to boast two career nominations in the best director category.Campion is nominated for directing this year thanks to her acclaimed work on the Netflix-backed “The Power of the Dog,” which also won her the directing prize at last year’s Venice Film Festival and nabbed her a nomination at the Directors Guild of America Awards. Campion’s first Oscar nomination for directing came in 1994 when she was nominated for “The Piano” at the 66th Academy Awards.

Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of “Death on the Nile” begins with a sequence that is miles removed from Agatha Christie — indeed, it feels like a Branagh has spliced in a missing reel from “1917.” In an unbroken take, his camera snakes through a WWI-era foxhole, ending with the delivery of orders for a suicide mission. But maybe not.

Clayton Davis Ballots are in, and the nail-biting portion of Oscar season has begun. Nominations for the 94th Academy Awards will be revealed on Feb.

Clayton Davis With Oscar nominations just days away, the BAFTAs weighed in with their nominations for the 75th edition of the awards, which is set to take place on Sunday, March 13, with Rebel Wilson hosting the evening’s honors.There were many surprises and snubs among the field of nominees, where Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” led the charge, despite the filmmaker missing a nod. But, whether it was the complete shutouts of “Spencer” and “Tick, Tick … Boom!” or the inclusions of Ryûsuke Hamaguchi in director and adapted screenplay or Ann Dowd and Woody Norman in the supporting categories, the impact won’t be felt in the Oscar world since voting is now closed.Down below are the most notable snubs and surprises from the BAFTA nominations.

Clayton Davis After 49 films, eight Oscar nominations, with two wins for “Glory” (1989) and “Training Day” (2001), Denzel Washington seems to still not be good enough for the Brits, getting snubbed in leading actor by the BAFTA Awards for his work in “The Tragedy of Macbeth.”Despite over 270 accolades across his 45-year career in film, Washington has never received a BAFTA nomination, one of the more obvious omissions in BAFTA’s 75-year history. While many of his slights are either head-scratching or poorly-timed with late U.K.

A day after “Succession” dominated the television nominations, the Directors Guild of America announced the key film nominees for the 2022 DGA Awards. To no surprise, “The Power of the Dog’s” Jane Campion, “Dune’s” Denis Villeneuve, and “Belfast’s” Kenneth Branagh made the list.

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRICAL FEATURE FILMPaul Thomas AndersonLicorice Pizza(Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)Mr. Anderson’s Directorial Team:Kenneth BranaghBelfast(Focus Features)Jane CampionThe Power of the Dog(Netflix)Steven SpielbergWest Side Story(20th Century Studios)Mr.

Clayton Davis Since the early 2000s, the Oscars have been in a rhythm of awarding darker movies with tinges of death, depression, racism and violence, illustrated by best picture winners such as “Million Dollar Baby” (2004), “Crash” (2005), “The Departed” (2006) and “No Country for Old Men” (2007). They stopped the trend with the uplifting “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), which nearly swept the ceremony, winning eight Oscars, the most of any film since that time.

Clayton Davis The Writers Guild of America Awards announced its 2022 nominations, where huge boosts were given to films such as “Being the Ricardos,” “Don’t Look Up,” “The French Dispatch,” “King Richard” and “Licorice Pizza” in original screenplay.Adapted screenplay includes “CODA,” “Dune,” “Nightmare Alley,” “Tick, Tick … Boom!” and “West Side Story.” Missing from the lineup are “C’mon C’mon” from Mike Mills and “The Tragedy of Macbeth” from Joel Coen.On the adapted screenplay side, notable awards contenders that were ineligible included “Benedetta” (IFC Films), “Cyrano” (MGM/United Artists Releasing), “Drive My Car” (Janus Films/Sideshow), “The Lost Daughter” (Netflix), “Passing” (Netflix), “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix), “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (Sony Pictures) and “Zola” (A24).