Timothée Chalamet felt “supported” by the superstar cast of Dune

After many delays, we’re finally getting close to seeing Dune, director Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi classic. The book has adapted for the screen several times, although never to everyone’s liking. Will this new version finally be the definitive Dune movie fans are waiting for?

If you look just at the cast, it would almost have to be. With Timothée Chalamet as lead character Paul Atreides, Zendaya as his love interest Chani, Jason Momoa as Atreides family swordsman Duncan Idaho, Oscar Isaac as patriarch Leto Atreides, and much more, this thing is stacked.

Chalamet is at the center of it all as the scion of a noble house who embarks on a grim journey that change the galaxy, and to hear him tell it, the process went very smoothly, with lots of camaraderie among the superstar cast. “I don’t know if there’s some nightmare version of a film where a young lead is not supported by the rest of his cast, where every one of them had been the leads in their own huge projects. But on this, everyone was there to support, and I think it’s because we all wanted to be foot soldiers for Denis, and I think we understood the potential, based on the script by Eric Roth, Jon Spaihts and Denis, that this could be something really special,” he told Deadline.

Timothée Chalamet has faith in Dune director Denis Villeneuve

Chalamet was determined to get a part in Dune when he heard that Villeneuve — who directed great sci-fi movies like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 — was involved, setting up a Google alert so he could follow the news. Now that he has the leading role, he’s mindful of the huge responsibility of not only holding down a major tentpole studio film but also of pleasing fans who hold this story close to their hearts. “[I]t was nerve-wracking from the announcement, because like I said before, the fans of the book, and the fans of David Lynch version, the computer game, and everything, there’s so much love and strength of feeling,” he said. “And so much of our pop culture and films and books have been derived from Dune, and all the philosophy the book. I’ve been shocked to learn how many people have a next-level connection to the book. I compare it to how our generation grew up with Harry Potter, and that one makes sense to me. But it’s cool to see with Dune also, when you actually sit down and read it… It’s not that it’s a quote-unquote ‘hard read’ or anything, but it’s not made to be consumed easily, I think that’s fair to say.”

I dunno, I found it to be kind of a hard read, although it goes down easier on subsequent read-throughs when you’re more used to Herbert’s brainy brand of sci-fi storytelling. Perhaps that’s why previous adaptations of Dune haven’t quite caught on: this story is dense, so much so that Villeneuve has split it in two: this upcoming film only covers the first half or so of the book.

That could present its own challenges, but Chalamet is confident that Villeneuve can pull it all off. “He would constantly say on set that he had some opposing drumbeat or something. In my diminished intellectual standing, I didn’t understand it, but it was like some vision for the movie based on how biblical the book is that tries to tackle so much that it doesn’t tackle anything,” he said. “I think he felt the need to be close to a character in it, and Paul is that guy in the book. He’s a character that is still in formation, like a lump of clay, which makes him a great figure for the audience to mirror off.”

"It speaks, I think, to Denis’ premonition and his directing ability that there were times when we’d move on from a shot or move on from a scene, and I swear, literally, we’d go back because Denis wanted to get something over my shoulder, or push in on my reaction, just to make sure [it stayed on Paul]."

Dune is definitely Paul’s story, but there’s also a wide ensemble cast. One character we’ll see a lot more of in the sequel is Chani, the Fremen warrior played by Zendaya. “Definitely, Chani will play a huge role in the next film,” Chalamet said. “I don’t know if there’s a script yet, but just based on the book, along with Lady Jessica [Rebecca Ferguson], they have a lot to do together, let’s put it like that.”

"Zendaya was incredible in this movie; the moment she pulls the mask down, it felt properly showstopping and powerful. I was hiding behind the camera, counting my lucky stars, because I was there in month two of the shoot, and here was a total powerhouse just coming in for the first time.And as I said before, this was before I’d seen Euphoria and Malcolm & Marie. She’s doing such incredible work and is just trailblazing her own path, and she’s so, so cool. She also happens to be in the most-watched trailer of the moment, too, for Spider-Man: No Way Home. I cannot wait for that movie, and I was there, by the way, with everybody else, clicking through the trailer frame by frame looking for clues [laughs]."

Clearly, Chalamet, Villeneuve and everyone involved in this movie have worked hard to make something special. We’ll see if their work paid off when Dune lands in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22.

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