James Cameron Criticizes the Oscars for Denis Villeneuve ‘Dune’ Snubs: ‘You Can Play the Awards Game’ or ‘Make Movies People Actually Go To’

James Cameron is shading the Oscars for often rejecting science-fiction movies. Speaking to film writer Barry Hertz of Canada’s The Globe and Mail, Cameron said the Academy Awards are never top of mind for him when he’s developing, making or promoting a movie. That’s especially true when it comes to his “Avatar” franchise, as the Oscars rarely award sci-fi movies. Cameron proved his point by calling out the Academy for twice snubbing Denis Villeneuve as the director of “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two.”

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“I don’t think about the Academy Awards that much,” Cameron said. “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.”

“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!”

Cameron is a history-maker when it comes to the Oscars thanks to “Titanic’s” 14 nominations and 11 wins. The film, which won best picture and Cameron the best director Oscar, is the most-nominated film in Academy Award history along with “All About Eve” and “La La Land.” The movie’s 11 wins make it the most Oscar-winning film ever tied with “Ben-Hur” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kings.”

To Cameron’s point, Villeneuve being left out of the best director races for both of his “Dune” movies are widely considered two of the most egregious Oscar snubs in recent years. After the filmmaker was snubbed for the first “Dune” movie, his cast member Josh Brolin urged Oscar voters not to make the same mistake with “Part 2.”

“If he doesn’t get nominated this year, I’ll quit acting,” Brolin told Variety. “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.”

The Academy ended up not nominating Villeneuve, prompting Brolin to say:  “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.”

Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” is now playing in theaters.