For many years, Frank Herbert’s Dune was considered an unadaptable book. But Denis Villeneuve proved studios and audiences wrong when his highly-praised cinematic experience had a successful release this past fall. With Dune: Part Two set to begin production this summer, Javier Bardem has teased how the sequel will surprise audiences – yes, even superfans.
Javier Bardem spent the end of his week at the Cannes Film Festival where he took part in a Q&A (via Deadline). When the actor was asked about the forthcoming Dune sequel, he offered the following update:
I’ve read the new draft. and I think they’ve done an amazing job of putting together the pieces in a way that is gonna surprise people. They won’t be surprised [by what happens], obviously, because they’ve read the book, but they’ll be surprised by the way they put it together. I was very moved by it.
Between films like No Country For Old Men and Skyfall, the star has a track record of choosing exceptional projects to put his name next to, so praise like this from the Oscar-winning actor is especially exciting. Even though there’s an element of surprise lost for the many people who have read Dune, the actor claimed that even fans of the books will be taken aback by the movie’s creative decisions. he also said this:
It’s a movie that is full, and you can feel the weight of it, and at the same time [you can enjoy] the spectacularity of it. [I can’t wait] to go back to the desert with those people, and I’m so happy to go back with Denis, who is one of the greatest directors ever. He’s a lovely man.
When Denis Villeneuve decided to split up the story of Dune, he took a gamble, as he wasn't completely sure he'd have the opportunity to make a sequel if the movie did not perform commercially. But when it hit big, Warner Bros announced the sequel just a few days after the movie hit theaters and HBO Max concurrently. (You can still check out the flick with an HBO Max subscription.)
Dune: Part Two, which nabbed an October 2023 release date, has been teased as the “real meal” by its director, who considers the first installment an “appetizer.” Along with Javier Bardem, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard and Rebecca Ferguson are among the cast reprising. Plus, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler and Christopher Walken have reportedly been cast for Dune: Part Two.
Javier Bardem will once again play Stilgar, who is the Freman leader and was the center of a major scene at the end of the first movie. When previously speaking about how he got the role of Stilgar, Bardem shared that Denis Villeneuve offered him the role over a lunch meeting in a very direct way. The actor previously revealed that he had read the book many years prior and felt the was one of those roles he’d aspire to play as a kid. Needless to say, he's living his dream, and I can't wait to see how he continues to deliver in the sci-fi follow-up.
Dune: Part Two is expected to hit theaters on October 20, 2023.
