Legendary buys film and tv rights to Dune [movie] Dune 2021

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Thu May 12, 2022 9:48 pm

Everyone here employs a healthy dose of suspension of disbelief when watching a movie about giant sand worms and demigods on a far distant planet. Let’s not confuse that with commenting on a potential casting error. Walken comes with a lot of baggage in the form of a comedic/absurd image he’s consciously cultivated for a long time. I don’t think it’s irrational to make note of that, then express concern that it might be distracting.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu May 12, 2022 10:28 pm

Sudy wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 9:09 pm
Holman wrote: ↑Thu May 12, 2022 5:28 pm Christopher Walken is one of those actors known for being himself rather than his character, and his essential quality is weirdness.
It's Dune. Weirdness is a desired quality. I admit it's a surprising choice. But I think Walken may surprise. Obviously, they can't control the audience's reaction... but I have no problem keeping an open mind, and I think Villeneuve et al. know what they're doing. It's like casting Nic Cage in a grounded role. It occasionally happens, and he proves he can still act like a normal person. The rest is suspension of disbelief.

I hope for the best, and I hope Walken is able to impress everyone by not playing himself.

(I keep remembering the earlier Dune project that planned to cast Salvador Dali as the Emperor.)

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Thu May 12, 2022 10:36 pm

Could have been John Malkovich or Joe Pesci.

Sudy · Post by **Sudy** » Thu May 12, 2022 10:38 pm

Or Paul Reubens?

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 13, 2022 12:07 am

Or Tom Selleck

Hyena · Post by **Hyena** » Fri May 13, 2022 7:53 am

Or Adam Sandler.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri May 13, 2022 7:56 am

Danny Trejo would have made a great Emperor. No need to cover up the tattoos either. In Brian Herbert's follow up novels, he's actually a former street gang member who lost his appetite for violence after seeing his family killed in a cartel war.

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Fri May 13, 2022 9:52 am

Walken may surprise you. Walk without rhythm and you won’t attract the worm.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 13, 2022 10:56 am

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Fri May 13, 2022 11:45 am

I've come with more Sardaukar and more cowbell. I'll be there in . . .where did I put my watch?

Lagom Lite · Post by **Lagom Lite** » Fri May 13, 2022 5:01 pm

Walken is a fantastic choice, I was all giddy when I heard about it this morning!

Look, I get the "Walken living meme" argument, but while he's often taken comedic/creepy roles that leans into the creepiness he adopts with his dancer physicality and speech pattern the fact of the matter is Walken is a class A actor. Go rewatch the "Butch's watch" scene in Pulp Fiction. Or Deer Hunter.

What this signals to me is that the Emperor will be portrayed as extremely dangerous in the sense of being fickle, moody, arbitrary and perhaps just a tad removed from reality (as you'd probably get were you the Emperor of the Known Universe, after all). A guy who regards his subjects as annoying pets. I think it's another nod to Jodorowsky, who wanted Salvador Dali to take a dump on a gilded toilet.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri May 13, 2022 8:05 pm

I still think Matt Berry would be a better Emperor.

“yeeeeeeeesssssssss”

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri May 13, 2022 9:10 pm

Yes, I hear you, Baron Harkonnen!

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Fri May 13, 2022 9:16 pm

Sold!

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri May 13, 2022 9:24 pm

Lagom Lite wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 5:01 pm Walken is a fantastic choice, I was all giddy when I heard about it this morning!

Look, I get the "Walken living meme" argument, but while he's often taken comedic/creepy roles that leans into the creepiness he adopts with his dancer physicality and speech pattern the fact of the matter is Walken is a class A actor. Go rewatch the "Butch's watch" scene in Pulp Fiction. Or Deer Hunter.

What this signals to me is that the Emperor will be portrayed as extremely dangerous in the sense of being fickle, moody, arbitrary and perhaps just a tad removed from reality (as you'd probably get were you the Emperor of the Known Universe, after all). A guy who regards his subjects as annoying pets. I think it's another nod to Jodorowsky, who wanted Salvador Dali to take a dump on a gilded toilet.

If Villeneuve follows the book, the Emperor will have just one scene in DUNE 2, and it's right at the climax of the drama. It's going to take deft film making and deft acting to ensure that Walken's sudden appearance (after probably more than two hours of prior movie) doesn't jar everyone out of the story.

I want it to work, but I'm just worried. Your Pulp Fiction scene is an example of what I'm worried about, and The Deer Hunter was 1978, long before Walken was a Walken meme.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Fri May 13, 2022 9:25 pm

Oh my God. I never thought of Matt as the emperor and now I demand it.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Fri May 13, 2022 9:35 pm

The Emperor needs to be a character actor that everyone respects but no one can name without going to IMDB.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Sat May 14, 2022 12:39 am

And starring Bruce McGill as The Emperor.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sun May 15, 2022 11:14 pm

Walken hasn't seemed very "with it" in the past few years...much like Bruce Willis.

I think Charles Dance would have been an excellent choice, he's almost exactly what my minds eye pictures when I read that book.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Mon May 16, 2022 1:09 am

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Fri May 13, 2022 9:10 pm Yes, I hear you, Baron Harkonnen!

TheMix · Post by **TheMix** » Mon May 16, 2022 10:01 am

Jeff V wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:14 pm I think Charles Dance would have been an excellent choice, he's almost exactly what my minds eye pictures when I read that book.

Charles Dance. I could see that.

I've been greatly enjoying his stints on The Big Fat Quiz episodes.

Lagom Lite · Post by **Lagom Lite** » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:17 pm

They've cast Lea Seydoux as Lady Fenring. Huh, I didn't expect them to give the Fenring subplot any love.

Any guesses on who they'll cast as the Count? James Gyllenhaal? Kyle MacLaghlan?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:33 pm

Lagom Lite wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:17 pm Any guesses on who they'll cast as the Count? James Gyllenhaal? Kyle MacLaghlan?

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:49 pm

Soooo glad to hear that the Fenrigs are in! For some reason, the Count is my favorite minor character.

I expect him to be middle-aged at least. He was a failed attempt at the Kwisatz Haderach a generation before Paul (and, of course, he's the Emperor's old friend).

Mark Rylance would be a great choice.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:27 pm

Rylance is a good choice for pretty much anything. Go watch The Outfit. That’s an actor’s actor.

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Fri Jun 24, 2022 4:44 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:49 pm Soooo glad to hear that the Fenrigs are in! For some reason, the Count is my favorite minor character.

I expect him to be middle-aged at least. He was a failed attempt at the Kwisatz Haderach a generation before Paul (and, of course, he's the Emperor's old friend).

Mark Rylance would be a great choice.

I thought Brian did a good job fleshing out the character in one of his novels. At the time, I fancied the late great Rene Auberjonois for the role -- in fact, he's who I thought of when I first read the original Dune. In Frank's novels, Fenrig seemed to be part socialite, part spy. Brian developed him into more of a James Bond bad-ass.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:15 pm

Filming has begun on Dune Part 2.

We've already heard that Florence Pugh is Irulan, Austin Butler is Feyd Rautha, Christopher Walken is Emperor Shaddam IV, and Lea Seydoux is Lady Margo Fenrig (which hopefully implies a Count Fenrig as well). IMDB also has Souheila Yacoub as a Fremen named Shishkali (a minor character whom I think is being gender-swapped here).

Looking back, I want Count Fenrig to be the Herald of the Change who brought the real-estate documents to Caladan early in the first DUNE movie. He had a lot of gravitas, and seeing him as the Emperor's right hand would be a good callback.

Count Hasimir Fenrig is my favorite minor character in DUNE because he's a failed Kwisatz Haderach. Honestly, aren't we all?

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Mon Jul 18, 2022 9:42 pm

OK I just want to point out that a brief internet search offered me a "Bene Gesserit Breeding Calamity" t-shirt, and I really don't know what to do.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Mon Jul 18, 2022 10:22 pm

It even has the right font.

I'm not prescient, but even I can see one of your possible futures.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Mon Jul 18, 2022 11:05 pm

I'm disappointed with the design

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Jul 19, 2022 12:39 am

They are a sexist organization with terrible joining hazing.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Tue Feb 28, 2023 10:50 pm

The Sisterhood seems cursed by a certain Baron.....

https://www.ign.com/articles/dune-prequ ... r-and-star

Dune Prequel Series Undergoing 'Creative Changes' as It Loses Director and Star
The series has lost two co-showrunners since being announced in 2019.

Star Shirley Henderson, who was set to play Tula Harkonnen, and Johan Renck, who was planned to direct the first two episodes, have both exited the series as it apparently undergoes "creative changes."

“As Dune: The Sisterhood has entered a pre-scheduled hiatus, there are some creative changes being made to the production in an effort to create the best series possible and stay true to the source material,” an HBO Max spokesperson said in a statement. “Johan Renck has completed his work on the series and a new director will be brought on; through mutual agreement, Johan is moving on to pursue other projects. Additionally, Shirley Henderson will be exiting the series and will no longer be playing Tula Harkonnen.”

It's only the latest major shift Dune: The Sisterhood has seen since it was first announced in 2019. Co-showrunner Jon Spaihts exited the role in 2021 and was replaced by Diane Ademu-John, who stepped down last November. Veteran TV writer Alison Schapker, best known for her work on Lost, now remains the sole showrunner.

Villeneuve was also originally set to direct the premiere and left that role several months after it was announced, although he's still attached to the project as an executive producer.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Wed Mar 01, 2023 11:56 am

Well, at least that hack Brian Herbert isn't writing it.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:06 pm

I woke up this morning with a single clear thought in my head: "Epic Rap Battles of History should do Paul Atreides vs Anakin Skywalker."

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:13 pm

Tell them.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:17 pm

Captain Kangaroo vs Mr Rogers

Jeff V · Post by **Jeff V** » Sat Mar 04, 2023 12:49 am

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Mar 01, 2023 7:06 pm I woke up this morning with a single clear thought in my head: "Epic Rap Battles of History should do Paul Atreides vs Anakin Skywalker."

Interesting matchup. It would be a slam-dunk if the world of Dune wasn't such Luddites about technology. I bet it comes down to Paul using "the voice" (and Paul should totally be played by Blake Shelton) to make Anakin punch himself until he surrenders.

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Tue May 02, 2023 1:17 pm

Just learned that the first official Dune Part Two trailer will be out tomorrow.

(If you search right now, you can find a fake one spliced together from Part One footage and what might be AI-generated dialogue.)

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue May 02, 2023 1:28 pm

‘Dune: Part Two’ To Pick Up Right Where Viewers Fell Asleep During First One

LAS VEGAS—Debuting the high-budget sequel at this year’s CinemaCon, director Dennis Villeneuve confirmed Wednesday that Dune: Part Two will pick up right where viewers fell asleep during the first one. “I think audiences are going to love this installment, which continues the epic tale from the exact moment 30 minutes into the first Dune that everyone fell asleep,” said the Canadian director, adding that movie fans who didn’t yet see the first film will be able watch this one without missing a beat since audiences fell asleep very early into the two-and-a-half hour film. “Without giving too much away, it opens from the worm scene, which was the last thing everyone remembers before waking up to the HBO Max title screen. You’ll see what happens to Oscar Isaac and Jason Momoa again because that all took place while you were curled up on the couch, deep in slumber. And if you doze off again through the whole ‘Lisan al Gaib’ thing, just remember that essentially means ‘Timothee Chalamet.’” At press time, viewers offered mixed reviews on Villeneuve’s choice to include a blaring alarm clock sound every 20 minutes.

Hyena · Post by **Hyena** » Tue May 02, 2023 2:46 pm

I actually really enjoyed the first one, I'm looking forward to the trailer and seeing the conclusion.