Legendary Pictures is proving it’s willing to break the bank by bringing in yet another top-tier actor for its Dune movie: Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, No Country For Old Men) has just joined the cast, per Variety. Brolin will play Gurney Halleck, the troubadour weapons master of House Atreides.
In Frank Herbert’s Dune novels, Halleck is described as a talented musician who plays a Nine-stringed instrument called a baliset. He trains young Paul Atreides to become a warrior, and has a scar on his jawline where he was whipped by his Harkonnen masters before escaping slavery. Patrick Stewart, another titan of the screen, played him in David Lynch’s 1984 version:
Brolin joins an already impressive cast that includes his former No Country for Old Men castmate Javier Bardem as Freman leader Stilgar, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Zendaya as Freman warrior Chani, Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Stellan Skarsgård as the evil Baron Harkonnen and Dave Bautista as his nephew Glossu “the Beast” Rabban Harkonnen. Rounding things out are Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica and Timothée Chalamet as her son and main character Paul Atreides.
In Lynch’s movie, Kyle MacLachlan played Paul. He had some advice for Chalamet:
Full interview: @Kyle_MacLachlan sits down with #AM2DM to talk the "Dune" remake, his love of wine, "Twin Peaks," and more pic.twitter.com/8KJoBdKQnD
— AM2DM by BuzzFeed News (@AM2DM) February 7, 2019
“Go easy on the spice.” Spice is a highly addictive substance that heightens one’s senses, prolongs life, and gives certain people special powers. It’s found only on the planet Arrakis (Dune) and is therefore the most valued substance in the universe. It’s good advice.
Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve is helming the film, which will cover the first half of the first Dune book. With all the talent Villeneuve is lining up, this movie should be fantastic.
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h/t Variety, Bleeding Cool