The Big Picture

Dune: Part Two sees Paul Atreides and the Fremen facing off against the Harkonnen family for control of Arrakis. Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler both trained extensively for their fight scene, aiming to make it believable and visually engaging. Chalamet discusses the thrill of delivering a monologue in a fictional language and the challenges of taking on iconic and “dangerous” roles.

Arrakis is preparing for war in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, and at the center of it all stands Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. After guiding a rebellion among the Fremen people, aided by the fighter Chani (Zendaya), in 2021’s Dune, Paul finds himself reckoning with foes both old and new. Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the opportunity to sit down with Part Two stars, Chalamet and Austin Butler, who plays the Known Universe’s most psychotic fighter, the Harkonnen assassin Feyd-Rautha.

Following the events of Dune, Part Two sees the fate of Arrakis hanging in the balance after the betrayal of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac). Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), have joined forces with the Fremen to face their inevitable battle against the Harkonnen family, who seek total control of the planet. The sequel also brings back Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, and Charlotte Rampling, and introduces Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, and more.

During this interview, Chalamet and Butler recall their very first meeting on set. In Dune: Part Two, Butler says he understood the vital nature of Feyd-Rautha and Paul’s opposition during their training to fight on camera. They began early, long before they met as castmates, and discuss how each inspired the other throughout production. Chalamet discusses the importance of learning and performing a monologue in Chakobsa, and also opens up about portraying “dangerous” characters like Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka, Atreides, and Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic — something his costar is pretty familiar with — James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown.

You can watch the interview in the video above, or read the full transcript below.

Dune: Part Two Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Release Date March 1, 2024 Director Denis Villeneuve Runtime 166 minutes Main Genre Sci-Fi Writers Frank Herbert , Jon Spaihts , Denis Villeneuve

COLLIDER: The biggest complaint I have with the movie and that is, it’s not four hours. I needed it to be longer. I was asking Denis about deleted scenes and he told me I’m never gonna see them, so I’m asking you guys directly, in the movie, Part One or Part Two, did you have any scene that didn’t make the final cut that you’re a little sad that didn’t get in?

TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET: Not in this one. I honestly think everything I shot is in there. In the first part, there was a sort of a training sequence with Lady Jessica. It began with a meditation, and there was a candle that we were practicing the voice on, and it was just sort of an eerie, almost psychedelic scene. We both have our costumes and even our hair, I think, was different than it was the rest of the film. It had all the hallmarks of something that was gonna get cut. [Laughs] But it was just, like I said, an eerie, psychedelic scene that didn’t make it in there.

Related Rebecca Ferguson: ‘Dune: Part Two’ Is “A F*cking Gut Punch” [Exclusive] The performer will reprise her role as Lady Jessica in Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming sequel.

AUSTIN BUTLER: Wow. I want to see that now. I think most of what we shot is in the film. I mean, there’s other takes. We did so many versions of things, so I’d be so curious to see other versions, but I love it so much just as it is.

Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler Wanted To Kill Each Other on Set in the Best Way
Image via Warner Bros.

One of the things I commend you both on in the fight scene between you guys is that I’ve seen so many action set pieces where there’s a quick cut every millisecond, and it makes me insane. What I love about your sequence is that you can see each of you guys and it’s not quick cuts. Can you talk about the importance of doing it yourself and making it believable so the audience believes in what you’re selling?

BUTLER: We were so fortunate to have the greatest stunt team in the world, so we both trained for months before we even met, before we were in Hungary. My training colleague was a guy named Alvin, and then Roger Yuan came on board and started getting more and more specific with us about what the fight was going to be. It went through many different incarnations in a way, that fight. Then, our first meeting was in the stunt room, and we fought immediately, and so we just knew that this was gonna be this thing that was really vital. I mean, that’s kind of where we bonded, and I saw how hard Timothée had worked on it.

CHALAMET: Equally.

BUTLER: We wanted to bring out the best in each other, and try to kill each other without actually hurting each other.

Timothée Chalamet Delivers an Entire Monologue in Chakobsa for ‘Dune: Part 2’

What is it like delivering a monologue in another language?

CHALAMET: Thrilling. That was probably the couple of days on set I was looking forward to the most because you’re in a movie of this size, and even playing one of the lead characters, the film and the story is so much greater than Paul in many ways, even if it’s Paul’s journey at the center of it. So, on the days where it’s really front and center, and where I’ve seen Austin who shot the gladiator sequence up front in the production schedule, and I see the playbacks to that and how amazingly he crushed it, and seeing Charlotte Rampling do great work in Florence, which he shot in Italy, I’m thinking, “Now I gotta step up to the plate here.” It’s incredibly affirming and all the more bizarre to do it in a language that doesn’t exist, and have it memorized in English, too. We did it in English, as well, but then he chose the Chakobsa, which I liked. I thought that was so much cooler, even if it’s subtitled. I think it’s just a stronger choice.

100%. [To Butler] So, your look in the film is very unique. How much did you want to leave the set and just go to a coffee shop in that outfit with the way you looked and just be anonymous?

BUTLER: [Laughs] So badly. How great would that be?

I’m being completely serious. I would have wanted to leave set, because no one would realize it’s you.

BUTLER: No, no. Especially with the teeth and everything.

Image via Warner Bros.

Oh my god, it’s fantastic.

CHALAMET: And if you’re really friendly.

BUTLER: Yeah, super friendly. [Laughs]

Timothée Chalamet Is Going to Keep Doing Dangerous Roles
Image via Zanda Rice

I actually want to ask you an individual question. You’ve played Willy Wonka, Paul Atreides, and you’re about to play Bob Dylan; which of those roles, when you found out you were going to get them, really kept you up at night in terms of, “Oh my god, I’m about to do this?”

CHALAMET: All three. There’s something about when you embark on a story that is 100% original and you’re really shining your flashlight into the dark and just going. Willy Wonka, Paul Atreides, and Bob Dylan, these are dangerous characters because, I said a lot on the Willy Wonka press tour, people are rightfully very protective of them because they already exist in a significant cultural, if not emotional place for many people, and they don’t want you to go near it. Understandably. I feel like that about some roles, or characters in public imagination, but… That’s the end of that thought. I guess I’m still gonna do them. [Laughs]

BUTLER: You’re brave.

Dune: Part Two premieres in theaters on March 1.

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