Dune: Part Two is being considered a masterpiece by many, with fans and critics alike loving the ambitious epic scale of the latest Denis Villeneuve project. It’s a lengthy film, with a runtime of 2 hours and 46 minutes to encapsulate the world, politics, and major story arcs of the Frank Herbert novel. However, not everything ended up in the final cut. Apparently one actor from Dune ended up having his scenes left out of Part Two, and now is reflecting on the experience.
Stephen McKinley Henderson is an iconic character actor known for his supporting performances in movies like Lady Bird, Fences, and the upcoming movie from Alex Garland, Civil War. He also played Thufir Hawat in Dune, a Mentat for the House of Attradies. He was set to return for Dune: Part Two, and even shot scenes with Austin Butler, who he was very complimentary of. However, his scenes ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor. Nevertheless, Henderson was still grateful for the experience he did have behind the scenes. He told Entertainment Weekly:
I shot stuff for them and had a great time with Denis and Austin Butler. I got to have a nice lunch with Christopher Walken. It was a great thing to be a part of, and I understand it comes with the territory. Denis had to do the film that he had to do. So I just love being a part of it. No regrets.
Henderson’s scenes were likely supposed to correct some of the key differences between the Dune novel and film adaptation. In the book, Thufir Hawat is one of the surviving members of the House of Attradies, and is captured and tortured by House Harkonnen. Based on these comments about Austin Butler, Henderson probably shot scenes where his character’s fate with the Harkonnens was shown. Unfortunately, these scenes were cut out of Dune: Part Two, so the cinematic ending of Hawat will remain a mystery.
Henderson’s scenes in Part Two aren’t the only ones being cut from Villeneuve’s Dune saga. Rebecca Ferguson expressed disappointment towards many of the training scenes with Paul and Lady Jessica being left out of the film. Additionally, Villeneuve ended up removing a scene where Josh Brolin sings, which the director said he found omitting to be “painful.” There is so much lore and story condensed within the pages of Dune, and making concessions for the sake of a concise story can be difficult. However, Henderson still seems to have a good outlook on the experience, so at least he was able to take something from Part Two.
Dune fans may be disappointed that parts of the movie were removed, but they can still find solace in the fact that Villeneuve isn’t done telling Paul Attradies’s story. The filmmaker has expressed an interest in adapting Dune: Messiah as the third and final Dune film. Henderson’s character doesn’t appear in Messiah, as he is said to die in the first Dune novel, but there is an abundance of other characters to explore that continue their journeys in the follow up.
As for Stephen McKinley Henderson, he still has a thriving film career outside of the Dune universe. Fans of the character actor can see him in Civil War, which is set to hit theaters on April 12th. You can also revisit his appearance in Dune now with a Hulu subscription. For more information on other exciting films heading to cinemas and streaming in the near future, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.
