Dune: part two Director Denis Villeneuve and producers Mary Parent and Tanya Lapointe took part in a panel at Deadline’s Contenders in London this morning, which explored the journey behind their blockbuster hit.
Each of the trio was asked what they hoped audiences would take away from the film. Villeneuve said: “I tried to be faithful to Frank Herbert’s vision of the idea of a cautionary tale, of being careful with charismatic characters and the danger of mixing religion and politics. »
In Dune: part twoPaul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge on the conspirators who destroyed his family. Starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, the film grossed $714 million worldwide and catapulted Warner Bros to become the first studio of 2024 to surpass $1 billion at the international box office, in record time.
Legendary Entertainment chief Parent added: “I think Frank Herbert was prescient when he wrote the book. For us as a species, as human beings, as we make our way through the world and move forward, we face the same age-old things that make us human: power, how we treat the planet, the way we treat the planet. we treat our fellow human beings, war, hoarding resources… Herbert wrote these books in the 60s, and here we are today.
Parent added that the love story between Paul and Chani is at the heart of the second film: “At the heart of the film is the story of young people navigating this world that has been handed to them. This is something that I think Denis did a beautiful job with, the story of Paul and Chani. They’re just two young lovers trying to make their way in this world.
Villenueve acknowledged that the “essence” of the film contains a love story, something he discussed at length with Parent before filming began. “At the center would be the tragedy of a young man falling in love with a girl…”
For her part, producer Lapointe emphasized that the film deals with the nature of power: “It’s about how power is exercised. The way the Bene Gesserit is represented shows that power is not something one exercises, calculates, or strategizes in the short term, it is calculated over decades and centuries. .
Villeneuve and Lapointe discussed the important role played by female characters in history, including the Bene Gesserit: “We had so many conversations about that, about each woman having her own agency. Even though Lady Jessica belongs to the Bene Gesserit, she has her own agenda.
Villeneuve at one point playfully remarked that if there was a third film, the subject of war would be central. “To save his friends, (Paul) must start a war,” he mused about the second film.
The filmmaker recently confirmed that he would be returning for a third installment in the franchise.