Ahead ofDune’s epic release this upcoming weekend, which is hoping to rack up big numbers at the box office amid the pandemic, the cast recalled how the filming process was reminiscent of making an independent film.
Dunedirector Denis Villeneuve andstars Timothée Chalamet, Javier Bardem, and Stellan Skarsgård shared their thoughts with The Independent about revamping the large scale sci-fi film based on the beloved 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, and why its story continues to remain relevant. “I felt like we were doing an independent movie,” adds Bardem, who plays Fremen tribal leader Stilgar in the film.
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Bardem further shares, “…because Denis will just go to you and ask you, or share with you his idea, what he proposes. And also let you go free and experiment and try your thing, try what you want to try, without the pressure of time, or without the pressure of money.” Chalamet, who leads the ensemble as the main protagonist Paul Atreides, contributed his thoughts pertaining to the balance of the film’s action/scope and its exploration of underlying, more complex themes, whether it involves religious conflict or issues of eco-catastrophism. He said, “It feels like an arthouse film in some moments; it feels like a spectacle like Lord of the Rings in some moments; and then sometimes, somehow, it feels intimate too… It just felt more and more and more and more relevant.”
Stellan Skarsgård,who portrays the film’s main antagonist Baron Harkonnen, feltDunehas much more to offer than any typical blockbuster. “It’s not only about relations between mothers and sons, and fathers and sons… but it’s also about politics, tribalism, and the struggle between clans. It’s about colonialism; it’s about our relationship to nature, and how we are depending on nature, and how we destroy nature at the same time,” he said.Dunebecame regarded by many fans as impossible to adapt into a film due to the major complexity and heftiness of the source material, but with Villeneuve having a great understanding of the book as well as experience tackling weighty themes and bringing otherworldly settings to life, it appears that he was the perfect choice to pull this off.
Dune’s world premierewas held at the Venice International Film Festival in early September, where it opened up to rave reviews from critics. Since then, numerous clips and footage have been making their way online, along with plenty of cast interviews that reveal to fans what they can expect as soon as they make their way to theatres. The story follows heir Paul Atreides, a young man who accepts the stewardship of the dangerous desert planet Arrakis, which contains the most valuable substance in the universe known as the “spice.” Taking control of Arrakis means great wealth and power, but it also means greater enemies, a conflict the Atreides family will have to face.
Warner Bros. and Legendary studios offered the directing job to Villeneuve back in 2017, and his only request for helming such a hefty project was that the story would be split into 2 parts. Even though part 2 has not been confirmed, Villeneuve and the rest of the cast and crew are hopeful thatDunewill resonate with enough audiences to have a second chapter come to fruition. The film willalso star Zendayaas Chani, Oscar Isaac as Leto Atreides, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, and Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban.
Duneis set to release in theatres and for streaming on HBO Max on July 31, 2025.
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