Image Credit: Warner Bros.
Timothée Chalamet has finally begun to open the door to what fans can expect from ‘Dune 3’, the conclusion of the science fiction trilogy directed by Denis Villeneuve and scheduled for release in December. He did so during a public event organized by Variety and CNN at the University of Texas, where he spoke with Matthew McConaughey, dropping references and influences that are already generating excitement among fans of Frank Herbert’s universe.
The actor, who has played Paul Atreides since Dune, explained that the character’s evolution in this third installment draws on iconic cinematic figures. “What I think you see at the end of the second and throughout the third is your character in ‘Interstellar,’ Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight,’ and Marlon Brando in ‘Apocalypse Now,’” he told McConaughey before pausing with a laugh. “Wait, let me rephrase that! I can’t put myself in the same boat, but let’s just say they’re those great movies where you can sneak something in, a curveball,” he joked.
Chalamet also mentioned another key figure in the franchise: Oscar Isaac, who played Duke Leto Atreides. His approach to acting left a lasting impression on the young actor: “He treated it in a Shakespearean way: performing in an elevated manner without worrying about whether it came across as elevated.” That vision allowed him to let go more than ever before. “In the first ‘Dune,’ I was overwhelmed by the futurism; I came from more naturalistic films and was intimidated by the size of the project. But in this third installment, everything big that you see on screen comes from freedom of movement and choice,” he shared.
The actor has also revealed that this conclusion to the saga will be, in his own words, “the most disturbing” of the three. “Denis and I found a really good rhythm. It’s the strangest one, a big leap,” he said. Although he avoided giving away any details about the plot, he is convinced that the conclusion to Paul’s journey will be risky and emotionally intense.
Leveling up
One aspect he did talk about openly was the technological advances made during filming. Chalamet recalled that he had the opportunity to repeat a sequence with the ornithopter, but this time with a much higher level of preparation: “In the first ‘Dune,’ we had a scene in an ornithopter that I was able to do again in the third, but this time I was much more prepared. I studied the control panel, the hieroglyphics, every button, and invented my own way of operating it.”
The actor has acknowledged that he arrived on set with energy fueled by an exceptional professional moment. After Marty Supreme and A Complete Unknown, which earned him Oscar nominations, he felt the pressure not to let his standards slip: “I didn’t want to settle for a single second. Everything was sacred, it was my last time making a ‘Dune’ movie and I wanted to treat it as something sacred.“ ”The inertia could have been to relax, but I did just the opposite: I was more intense in the third one. I felt like I had to push against that comfort with all my strength,” he said.
With these statements, Chalamet makes it clear that ‘Dune: Part 3’ will not only be the conclusion of a cinematic epic, but also the end of an acting challenge that has marked his career. And although he continues to keep the details of the plot secret, his clues point to an ending that is as ambitious as it is personal.
‘Dune: Part Three’ opens in theaters on December 18.
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