Colossal structures loom over the inhabitants of Arrakis and Giedi Prime in Dune: Part Two. On the screen, humanity seems pitifully small. What chance do the oppressed, desert-dwelling Fremen stand against such tremendous power?

In movies, built environments have the ability to mirror or influence the stories that take place within them. An early scene in Flow follows the nameless protagonist—a dark gray cat—as it ascends a behemoth sculpture that closely resembles it. The scale of this sculpture indicates the cat is a heroic figure of some kind, or at least it was to someone. Echoes of this heroism and grief continue to be felt through ruins the cat encounters on its journey. Without the built environment, these moments would be lost.

Read ahead to explore how seven of 2025 Oscar-nominated movies engage with their built environments. Check out our film and television stories for more on relationship between historic preservation and the silver screen.

When Brutalism and Survivalism High-Five

Nominated for five awards, Dune: Part Two (2024) takes audiences back to the Brutalist planets of Arrakis, Kaitain, and Giedi Prime. Despite their stylistic differences, all three planets adhere to an overarching Brutalist theme, as seen by the emphasis on simple lines, monochromatic building materials, large geometric forms, and a focus on functionality. These spare environments seem to mirror the characters’ singular focus on survival—no frills necessary.

Nominated for ten awards, The Brutalist (2024) follows László Tóth, a fictional Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor who escapes postwar Europe by immigrating to Pennsylvania. A Bauhaus-trained architect, Tóth accepts an assignment from a wealthy client to design a library. This assignment becomes increasingly difficult for Tóth. Architecture plays a major role in The Brutalist, not only through the film’s production design, but also by exploring what it takes to create a structure in this world. Once again, Brutalist architecture seems to mirror the lead character’s grit and focus on survival, as Tóth struggles to navigate life in this new landscape.

When the Architecture is as Complex as the Main Character

Ten nominations strong, Wicked (2024) plays with a variety of architectural styles. Inspired in part by the works of architect Louis Sullivan (who served as a mentor to Frank Lloyd Wright), the Emerald City is grand and ornamental. Filled with geometric lines, domes, and pillars, it evokes Arts Nouveau and Beaux Arts styles. Meanwhile, Shiz University features the foliage-inspired molding, courtyards, tiles, and vaulted ceilings that often characterize Moorish architecture. This architectural mashup feels eccentric and unusual, much like protagonist Elphaba, who finds it increasingly difficult to conform to societal norms and expectations throughout the film.

When Modernism is Employed to Make Things Awkward

Nominated for eight awards, Conclave (2024) follows the election of a new pope. Though this story takes place entirely in the Vatican, which is known for its Baroque, Renaissance, and Gothic architectural styles, the production design in Conclave adheres to a more Modernist aesthetic. Most intimate moments in the film take place in minimal, functional spaces (like the cafeteria, theater, and bedrooms). The Modernist architecture in Conclave stands in sharp contrast to the ancient religious tradition taking place between its walls, quietly highlighting the tension brewing within each cardinal.

Nominated for Best Visual Effects, the production design in Alien: Romulus (2024) is oppressively focused on utility. Modernist touches (like the white, monochromatic science lab aboard the station) add a retro-futurist flavor to this story, which follows a group of space colonists as they try to scavenge for parts aboard a seemingly abandoned space station. Running through octagonal hallways and struggling to navigate the labyrinthine station, these Modernist touches seem increasingly sinister as the characters awkwardly engage with the space.

When the Only Human Character is the Built Environment

In Flow, abandoned Romanesque ruins are observed by our protagonist—a nameless, dark gray cat—emphasizing feelings of loneliness and isolation. Nominated for two awards, Flow (2024) follows a cat who is forced to flee its home during a flood event. As the movie progresses the cat encounters a variety of new environments. Humans are nonexistent in this film, yet their presence is felt through the built environment that remains.

Nominated for three awards, The Wild Robot (2024) follows Roz, a service robot who is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island. Though Roz does not need shelter to survive, she crafts a den from stone and wood to shelter herself, a gosling, and a fox she has befriended. This functional space reflects the efficiency and empathy Roz encapsulates. When Roz rebuilds this den toward the end of the film, it comes to symbolize the conscious decision Roz has made—that while she has returned to the world of humans, her heart is in the wilderness, far from civilization.