In partnership with Warner Bros. UK
When it opened in 2021, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune bossed the box office and cleaned up at the Oscars. No wonder fans are clamouring for Dune: Part Two, which continues the director’s dazzling adaptation of Frank Herbert’s iconic 1965 novel. Ahead of its release on March 1, here’s a guide to its glittering ensemble cast and how they fit into the story.
Timothée Chalamet – Paul Atreides
Dune: Part Two follows Chalamet’s exiled Duke, Paul Atreides, as he pursues power and overdue revenge on House Harkonnen, the traitors who destroyed his family. Chalamet reveals new layers to Paul, who is embraced as a Messiah-like figure by the beleaguered Fremen people.
However, Chalamet is keen to point out that Paul is very much a reluctant leader. “This part of the story, for Paul Atreides, is about a young man not wanting to accept his destiny, or fate, that’s unfolding before him,” the actor says. “And because of what happened in the first movie, he’s struggling with what it is to become a man without a father or father figure, without his friends and family, who have been obliterated by the Harkonnen.”
Still, the thing about destiny is you can’t escape it even if you try. So saddle up the sandworm and let battle commence.
Zendaya – Chani
After her supporting role in Dune, Emmy winner Zendaya is firmly front and centre in Dune: Part Two. She plays Chani, Paul’s Fremen companion, and Villeneuve says their love story is “at the very core” of this film.
However, don’t expect romance to bloom smoothly. Discussing Chani’s internal dilemma, Zendaya says: “She’s falling in love with him, but at the same time hating what he represents, and that’s really difficult for her because she cares about her people and wants the best for her community.”
And all the while, Paul and Chani are trying to free the Fremen from the stifling, vice-like grip of House Harkonnen. High stakes indeed.
Austin Butler – Feyd-Rautha
Hot off his Oscar nomination for Elvis, Butler joins the cast as the villainous Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. As the heir to House Harkonnen, he finds himself directly in Paul’s firing line.
Feyd-Rautha is a major threat to Chalamet’s protagonist because he’s a sadistic schemer with skewed morals and a passion for pain. “Characters like Feyd can be hard to justify,” Butler says, “yet humanity is full of those types of people, so shining a light on that part of the human condition was a fascinating thing to explore.”
Florence Pugh – Princess Irulan
Another Oscar nominee, Little Women star Pugh, also joins in a key role. She plays Princess Irulan, the daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), who is caught between her powerful family and the secretive Bene Gesserit sisterhood. Irulan has a heightened ability to read and influence people, and Paul spots her potential when they meet.
Still, little gets past Irulan, either – she’s a sharp operator. Pugh describes her character’s relationship with Paul as “totally political”, saying: “It shows you the kind of woman that she has been brought up to be and the brain that she has, that she has been watching him, calculating his moves, figuring out who he is.”
Rebecca Ferguson – Jessica
Ferguson (The Greatest Showman, Mission: Impossible) returns as Paul’s composed mother, Lady Jessica. Villeneuve pitched the character to Ferguson as “the strongest woman in the world”, but Lady Jessica is constantly torn between her maternal urges and loyalty to the Bene Gesserit. It’s safe to say her decisions have explosive, far-reaching consequences.
Christopher Walken – Emperor Shaddam IV
This Oscar-winning legend is another new cast member for Dune: Part Two. Walken plays Emperor Shaddam IV, head of House Corrino, a fierce leader who challenges Chalamet’s protagonist. We get a glimpse of their tense relationship in the trailer, where Walken’s Emperor tells Paul cruelly: “Your father was a weak man.”
Josh Brolin – Gurney Halleck
Brolin’s many film credits stretch all the way from The Goonies to the Avengers movies. In Dune: Part Two, he reprises his affecting role as Gurney Halleck, Paul’s mentor and weapons teacher. He goes on quite a journey here, though there are bumpy moments along the way – very bumpy.
Léa Seydoux – Lady Margot Fenring
Seydoux, star of Spectre and No Time to Die, joins the cast as Lady Margot. Her character is an accomplished member of the Bene Gesserit who possesses acute powers of observation and seduction. She’s a close friend of Emperor Shaddam IV, but her ultimate loyalty lies with the sisterhood. Don’t underestimate her.
Javier Bardem – Stilgar
Bardem, who won an Oscar for his performance in No Country for Old Men, returns as
Stilgar, the stoic and decent leader of the Fremen people, Interestingly, Frank Herbert’s son Brian has said Stilgar is the Dune character his father most related to, and Bardem definitely captures his gravitas and strong sense of tradition.
Stellan Skarsgård – Baron Harkonnen
Skarsgård reprises his role as Baron Harkonnen, Paul’s ruthless nemesis. “Harkonnen is more dangerous naked than in armour,” Skarsgård said when Dune was released. “His evilness comes from the inside.” In Dune: Part Two, Paul’s quest for revenge threatens House Harkonnen’s very existence, but you can bet the Baron won’t go down without a fight.
Dave Bautista – Glossu Rabban Harkonnen
Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery) also returns as Glossu Rabban, Baron Harkonnen’s hulking nephew. Glossu is just as power-hungry as his uncle, but his brains don’t quite match his brawn. Still, only a fool would dismiss him entirely.
‘Dune: Part Two’ is in UK cinemas from March 1