Stellan Skarsgård will play Baron Harkonnen in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movie
Stellan Skarsgård, father of Alexander (True Blood), Gustaf (Vikings), and Bill (It), has landed a plum role in director Denis Villeneuve’s first Dune movie: series antagonist Baron Harkonnen. Skarsgård is a veteran actor who’s appeared in everything from Good Will Hunting and Dancer in the Dark to having recurring roles in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Dude and his family are crazy talented, and they’re everywhere.
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This announcement comes on the heels of the news that MCU star Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy) has signed on to play Glossu “the Beast” Rabban Harkonnen, the Baron’s nephew. The family is coming together.
In Dune, Baron Harkonnen is described as so immensely fat that he requires anti-gravity devices called suspensors to support his weight. He is ruthless, cunning and cruel, with a talent for manipulating others and exploiting their weaknesses. He’s attracted to young boys, something that almost leads to his death during an attempt to remove him from power. Depending on how close Villeneuve sticks to the text, Skarsgård may have to go real dark for this one.
Skarsgård and Bautista join a growing cast that includes Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible — Fallout) as the Lady Jessica, and Timothée Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) as lead character Paul Atreides, her son. Villeneuve wrote the script for the new Dune movie (the first of several, if Legendary gets its way) along with Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, A Star is Born) and Jon Spaihts (Prometheus, Doctor Strange).
There’s no word on a release date for Dune, but at least we know it’s happening. Everyone involved is talented, so hopefully this comes out right.
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