One of the most anticipated films of the year is the conclusion of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy, Dune: Part Three. We’ve covered the first two-thirds of the trilogy, and we absolutely loved Dune: Part Two. Part Three, based on Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, will be the final story for Paul Atreides, and the pivotal turning point that showcases the true risks of idolizing a false savior, and the danger of what happens when unlimited power is left unchecked.
With such a rich and complex story, and following the masterpiece that is Dune: Part Two, it’s easy to see why there would be such pomp and circumstance around a new trailer for the trilogy’s conclusion. Warner Bros. and IMAX teamed up to do a global event to debut the newest trailer for the film, and in attendance was Villeneuve and star Timothée Chalamet. We were lucky enough to be in the audience along with other members of the press for the stunning event, moderated by influencer Brittany Broski.
Before we break down the incredible Q&A with Villeneueve and Chalamet, it’s critical you watch this even more incredible trailer for Dune: Part Three!
The trailer above was what they showed us in 70mm IMAX. It looked positively stunning. However, those who attended the event were given a special treat in the form of the film’s first seven minutes. Those who attended CinemaCon were able to see the footage in advance, but fresh for the majority of fans in attendance.
That being said, the main event was a terrific conversation with Villeneuve and Chalamet. Together, the duo provided incredible insight into the conclusion of the franchise.
Villeneuve was the first to come out to thunderous applause and excitement. He was asked about the origins of his decision to move forward with Dune: Part Three, and the decision to base it on Messiah. “After Part Two, since we did the first two movies back to back, and I was quite tired. And I said to everybody, ‘Listen, I’m taking a break.’ And I went back home and two things happened: First of all, I kept waking up in the middle of the night with images [of what I’d do with a third film]. And these images started to get stronger and stronger. And also, something important I have to say, is that…I felt an appetite, a joy, and a desire for to finish that story. I felt suddenly a responsibility. And I was planning to [do this] a few years from now, but I said to myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be a better idea to, instead of going to Arrakis out of nostalgia, to go there out of necessity?’ …And I wrote the movie right away, and here we are…it was a massive honor for me to bring it to the screen.”
Villeneuve was asked how he planned to level up the game from Dune: Part Two. “Yeah, that’s the thing,” he stated. “I said to my crew, I don’t want us to walk into our own footsteps. I want us to bring the audience to new parts of Arrakis. And something that will be fresh and new… People know the book is a very different beast. [Part Three] is more of a thriller. A more intense story. And it’s definitely more emotional as well. And so it would have to be the last Dune movie. However, though it’s a Dune movie, but it has a very different rhythm, and it’s more intense.”
Next, Villeneuve was asked about the evolution of Paul’s character in Part Three. However, rather than answer the question himself, he saw it as an opportunity to bring out Chalamet. As the Oscar nominee (he has yet to win one) descended the stairway towards the front of the theater, the crowd exploded into huge cheers that carried on long after he arrived to his seat.
The question specifically was how he felt about audiences having to come to terms with eventually realizing Paul may not be the savior everyone thought he was going to be. “I guess the clues are in the book,” began Chalamet. “Frank Herbert painted a picture that was [a warning] about charismatic leaders. I think the proof is in the pudding. It’s in the original book and screenplay.”
Chalamet went on to describe a bit about what’s in store for fans who see Part Three. “You know, at the end of the second film, Chani is obviously feeling a sense of betrayal towards Paul and how the relationship has crumbled. So without giving too much away in the third film, I think it’s sort of Denis’s mastery, weaving in storylines that weren’t explicit in the book. And perhaps there, he took the most creative liberty, but it really ties the story together. And Zendaya, as you guys see in that trailer, gives such a fantastic performance in this, as usual.”
When asked about whether or not this is the beginning of Paul’s villain arc, Chalamet went on to say, “Well, I don’t know, as I said before, I hope it’s more nuanced than that. I think it’s one of the great things in Frank Herbert’s book. I think I read somewhere that it’s why he wrote Messiah as a follow-up to the first book. People mistook Paul as a classic hero. And he wanted to warn the world what can happen when people blindly follow leaders, and that even the good can be corrupted.”
Both Villeneuve and Chalamet were asked about the creative risks they had for the film that they felt they could not compromise on. “The thing is, I would say that for me,” started Villeneuve, “The one thing that I thought was something that I would care about was to shoot in the deep desert. And the desert is a character in the three movies. That was something I didn’t — we didn’t — compromise on. It was difficult for the crew for the cast. But they were all very generous, very efficient, and but it brought a lot of their joy and energy to the films.”
Chalamet added, “The concepts in this movie are out there. And I don’t think we ever had a comedic point of view about it. I think everyone took it at face value. It’s hard not to. You see the passion, hopefully here, for the movies and also for the books. And I came into it not knowing the books in 2018 or 2017. And I’m so moved that we have this community here — this community of… fans, isn’t even the right words. People that have been moved by whatever this material has to offer. And I don’t think the sincerity of the approach was ever altered, even on the third one. And that starts with [Villeneuve]. As he said, when I was standing back there listening, the approach was slightly different on this one. I was like, ‘hey, we’ve had a formula now, we’re not just going to run it back.’ This is a different movie… I think the first two were sort of siblings, and then this one is really its own energy. And I love that approach… there’s a new tone to this.”
When speaking about his star’s performance, Villeneuve stated, “I am looking forward to you all to see what Timothee did in this. It’s really impressive. The first movie is really about a boy discovering a planet. The second one is about him becoming an adult. And now for this, he really did create something very special. I was very impressed by what Timothee brought to the movie.”
After spending so much time in the deserts of Abu Dhabi, Villeneuve and Chalamet were asked what the one thing that would stick out in their memories about shooting on location would be. “The mornings,” stated Villeneuve. “…The mornings in the desert — to feel the energy as the sun comes up, and feel the excitement of the crew, and the wonder in every crew member’s eyes. You feel that energy, and the power of the desert. Inspiring. And it’s a crazy journey to bring a massive film crew in the deep desert. But the reward is seeing these smiles every morning. And every morning I had chills, and you felt that. Whenever you have the chance to go there, go. It’s extraordinary.”
Chalamet stated, “The tranquility of the environment. How still the mornings were, and what Denis was saying. You can’t overestimate it. He has much more experience than I have, but I’ve been on sets, especially when you shoot in studio environments where that excitement has to be generative. And you have to dig deep in yourself. You’re shooting in the desert, and Denis is helming it. And it’s amazing. They’ll set these locations where you almost feel like you’re on a safari or something. On a gorgeous walk to get to this location for work. But just a really special experience to get to shoot in the desert. Incredible.”
Villeneuve was asked what he brought from his life in Canada to the Dune franchise. “I would say what I brought from home was… I was raised watching movies. Experimental movies from the National Film Board. That’s where my cinematic education started… And I wanted to bring that kind of experimental feeling to Dune Part Three. And to do so, I created a special, small unit, a very tiny unit of a few filmmakers. And their task was to do experiments in front of the camera, to bring some crazy, insane footage that I will use for the movie. And that unit was called a psychedelic unit. And the second unit was led by two young French Canadians… their task was to bring some crazy images that you will see in the movie.”
A question was asked about which scenes were the most emotionally challenging for Chalamet to film. “I think anything towards the end of the film… to my prior point, it felt like there was finality to it. It was just moving. It felt melancholic to be moving on from this incredible family, incredible crew, and I just couldn’t believe how quickly the experience came and went. Maybe because COVID was a weird thing that melted our sense of time. It felt long. It passed. But when you think about it, to make these three huge movies in six or seven years? It’s really not that long.”
Villeneuve and Chalamet were both asked what they would tell themselves if they could go back to the first day of shooting.
“Sleep as much as you can,” quipped Villeneuve. “I remember when we started, someone from Legendary was tapping my back. He said, ‘It’s gonna be 10 years.’ I said, ‘What?’ Yeah, it was amazing. It was a privilege of my life to do this. And work with all of you.”
“I would tell myself to savor every moment,” stated Chalamet. “To realize how rare it is to work on something at an artistic level… but then there’s actual [mainstream] desire for it out in the world? I would tell myself to savor it.”
And savor it we will. Dune: Part Three might be wrapped for Chalamet, but it’s certainly not over for us fans just yet. We’ll get a chance to see the brilliance that Villeneuve and Chalamet have cooked up together when Dune: Part Three arrives in theaters on December 18!
Stay tuned to The Nerds of Color for more coverage between now and then!
