Dune: Part Two is one of the most anticipated sequel films of the year, and one of the major reasons for the franchise’s success is its incredible cast. Led by Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, the cast of Dune: Part Two also returns stars Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista and Stellan Skarsgård. The events of the first film left all three of their respective characters, Gurney Halleck, Beast Rabban and Baron Harkonnen, in vulnerable positions, and the trio of veteran actors sat down with Senior Writer Jorgie Rodriguez to speak about the sequel.
“You see him now, he’s re-revealed in the dessert, kind of heartbroken that he’s lost this entire family that he was protecting. I think he’s lost weight, he’s kind of a desert rat now, he’s like a criminal of sorts, and that’s where you see him for the first time,” Brolin said about where we find Gurney Halleck at the beginning of Dune: Part Two.
Bautista’s Rabban was given command of Arrakis after the invasion, but as the sequel begins, he has not found success in his new role.
“Everything about his relationship, Rabban’s relationship, with his uncle, impacts him and everything that he does. Because I think that is what he lives for, is seeking approval from his uncle, which makes him kind of pathetic, kind of sad,” Bautista said. “But where we left off was him being given control of Arrakis, and where we pick up is him having control of Arrakis and doing not a very good job of it. So he’s starting to crumble, starting to fall apart, and it picks up from there.”
Skarsgård’s Baron Harkonnen may very well be in the worst position of all, following the nearly successful assassination attempt on his life in the first film. With his health severely compromised and his days in power numbered, Harkonnen’s primary focus is to find an heir to carry on his legacy.
“He’s wounded. He’s crippled by his encounter by the poisonous gas that Duke Leto let out…and he’s looking for a replacement. He’s looking for an heir to take over after him. And eventually he finds Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler),” Skarsgård said.
One of the strengths of a sequel is that it gives the actors the opportunity to grow with their characters and become more connected with their roles. For Brolin, this film provided an even more unique opportunity to go in-depth with his character with the Baliset song that he wrote and performed (Brolin’s Baliset performance was sadly cut from the first film).
“The baliset song that we did, Deni wanted me to write the lyrics, but the best thing about writing the lyrics is, I got to know my character even more, so it was a great tool that I’m sure I’ll use in the future. Which is, ‘How would he think in this moment?,’ and then suddenly you’re getting deeper and deeper into who he is, which obviously feeds into how you would do a scene,” Brolin said.
Bautista, who previously had a very successful career as a WWE wrestler, talked about his ability to tap into the rage of his character.
“It’s funny because the rage thing is easy for me, and not because I’m an angry person. But my rage thing, I discovered this when I was wrestling, screaming and yelling and getting it all out, calms me and enables me to relax,” Bautista said. “So when I’m able to do that, if you can go super big, then coming down becomes very comfortable, it becomes very easy, you can ease into that. It’s like getting rid of all your anxiety.”
Check out the full interviews below and watch Dune: Part Two in theaters March 1st.
About Dune: Part Two
The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.”
The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka,” “Call Me by Your Name”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Malcolm & Marie,” “Euphoria”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Avengers: End Game,” “Milk”), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis,” “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (“Black Widow,” “Little Women”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Thor: Love and Thunder”), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter,” “Hairspray”), Léa Seydoux (the “James Bond” franchise and “Crimes of the Future”), Souheila Yacoub (“The Braves,” “Climax”), with Stellan Skarsgård (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”).
“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he and Jon Spaihts wrote based on Herbert’s novel. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Joshua Grode, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Herbert W. Gains, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, Richard P. Rubinstein and John Harrison, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.
Villeneuve is again collaborating with his “Dune” creatives: Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser; Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette; Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker; Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West. Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is again on hand to create the score.
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