Renowned filmmaker James Cameron has publicly voiced his dissatisfaction with the Academy Awards' historical bias against science-fiction movies. In an interview with film writer Barry Hertz of Canada’s The Globe and Mail, Cameron stated that Oscar recognition is not a driving factor when he develops, produces, or promotes his films, particularly those within his “Avatar” franchise. He emphasized that the Academy rarely bestows honors upon films within the science-fiction genre, a point he believes is consistently proven.

Cameron substantiated his argument by specifically calling out the Academy for twice overlooking Denis Villeneuve for a Best Director nomination for his work on “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two.” He articulated his personal philosophy, saying, “I don’t think about the Academy Awards that much... Intentionally, I don’t think about that at this point. I don’t try to make a movie to appeal to their sensibility… they don’t tend to honor films like ‘Avatar’ or films that are science fiction. Sci-fi is almost never properly recognized.” He further expressed his bewilderment at Villeneuve's snubs, remarking, “Denis Villeneuve made these two magnificent ‘Dune’ films and apparently these films make themselves because he wasn’t considered as a director, not even by the Director’s Guild. Like okay, you can play the awards game or you can play the game I like to play and that’s to make movies people actually go to. Sorry!”

Despite his criticisms, Cameron himself holds a distinguished record at the Oscars. His epic film “Titanic” garnered 14 nominations and secured an impressive 11 wins, including Best Picture and Best Director for Cameron. “Titanic” stands as one of the most-nominated films in Academy Award history, alongside “All About Eve” and “La La Land,” and ties with “Ben-Hur” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” as the most Oscar-winning film ever. This personal history adds weight to his observations about the Academy's patterns.

The exclusion of Denis Villeneuve from the Best Director categories for both “Dune” movies is widely regarded as one of the most significant Oscar snubs in recent memory, echoing Cameron’s sentiment. After Villeneuve was overlooked for the first “Dune” film, his cast member Josh Brolin passionately urged Oscar voters not to repeat the mistake for “Part Two.” Brolin famously told Variety, “If he doesn’t get nominated this year, I’ll quit acting... 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.”

Ultimately, the Academy did not nominate Villeneuve for “Dune: Part Two,” leading to Brolin’s humorous yet pointed response: “Apparently, I am going to quit acting because Denis Villeneuve didn’t get nominated. This is just how this thing works. It makes no sense to me. That’s okay. [Editor] 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. Congrats everyone.” The ongoing discussion about sci-fi's place in prestigious film awards continues, even as Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is currently in theaters.