Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has revealed the character that it caused him the most “pain” to leave out of the new film.
Part Two concludes the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 896-page, 1965 novel, following Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen to learn the ways of the desert, wage war on the forces that destroyed his family, and fulfil his destiny as the supposed chosen one.
The film also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Stellan Skarsgård and Dave Bautista.
But now, Villeneuve has said that there are other actors that he feels regret for having to cut out of the film’s final edit.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director said: “When you adapt, there’s always some kind of violence toward the original material. You have to change things, you have to bend, you have to make painful choices.”
“One of the most painful choices for me on this one was Thufir Hawat,” Villeneuve said, referring to the central character Paul Atreides’ mentor, who was to be played by Stephen McKinley Henderson (Lady Bird, Lincoln).
Additionally, Tim Blake Nelson (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, O Brother Where Art Thou?) had also been announced for the film, but does not appear in the final cut.
Nelson recently told Movieweb: “I had a great time over there shooting it. And then he had to cut it because he thought the movie was too long. And I am heartbroken over that, but there’s no hard feelings. I loved it, and I can’t wait to do something else with him, and we certainly plan to do that.”
Despite having to cut down on certain characters, the film runs to a lengthy 2 hours and 46 minutes. This week, Villeneuve defended the running time: “I trust the audience,” he said, adding that the film’s length was a necessity because the story was “too dense” to tell in a more condensed way.
“This was the only way I could succeed,” he continued. “Also, think of Oppenheimer. It is a three-hour, rated-R movie about nuclear physics that is mostly talking. But the public was young – that was the movie of the year by far for my kids.”
“There is a trend. The youth love to watch long movies because if they pay, they want to see something substantial. They are craving meaningful content.”
In a four-star review of the film, NME wrote: “As with the first movie, Part Two proves a pulse-poundingly immersive experience, courtesy of cinematographer Greig Fraser’s stunning visuals, production designer Patrice Vermette’s wildly imaginative sets and some inspired sound design work. This is particularly evident during the film’s exciting central set piece, when Paul has to prove himself by riding a giant sandworm, a punch-the-air moment that was teased in the first part and pays off wonderfully here.”
“Despite the film’s potentially punishing 166 minute running time, Villeneuve ensures that it never drags, striking a note-perfect balance between compelling character interaction and blisteringly inventive fight scenes.”