Rebecca Ferguson Promises That Dune: Part Two Won't Take The Easy Route
If you enjoyed the first "Dune" but weren't all that crazy about the number of people whisper-shouting in desaturated rooms, then you might be in luck. Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Two" looks set to be a much more intense and action-packed outing, completing the story of how Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) ascends to the mantle of messiah, avenging his father with the help of the desert-dwelling Fremen and reclaiming the planet Arrakis from the nefarious House Harkonen.
If you're a "Dune" fan you likely marveled at the way Villeneuve brought the supposedly "unfilmable" Frank Herbert novel to the big screen. The "Blade Runner 2049" director once again managed to create a big-budget sci-fi outing that was at once faithful to its source material and managed to hook casual viewers. Now, the follow-up is almost upon us. And with Warner Bros. eschewing the simultaneous streaming/theatrical release this time around in favor of a good old-fashioned theatrical debut, it should prove to be the true test of how well that first effort hooked audiences.
Of course, the people involved have been doing their best to hype up "Dune: Part Two," especially Villeneuve, who had the sequel ready before it was greenlit. At the time, he spoke about how the world he established in the first movie would become an "insane playground" in which he was free to "go beserk" for the follow-up. On top of that, the filmmaker added: "For me, 'Dune: Part One' is like an appetizer and 'Dune: Part Two' is the main meal. ... As much as 'Dune: Part One' was by far my most exciting project ever, 'Dune: Part Two' is already getting me even more excited." And if that wasn't enough to get you intrigued, perhaps "Dune" star Rebecca Ferguson can convince you.
'A gut punch'
Once "Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One," "Barbie," and "Oppenheimer," are out the way, "Dune: Part Two" will have its turn at bringing out audiences to the multiplex. And with all the talk of how the first movie was basically scene-setting for the extravaganza of a second installment, it very well could be a bigger hit than its predecessor.
It doesn't hurt that Rebecca Ferguson, who plays Paul Atreides' mother, Lady Jessica, is talking about the film as if it's going to redefine movie-making. The star of Apple TV+'s post-apocalyptic neo-noir "Silo," recently spoke to Collider about "Dune: Part Two," saying:
"It's so f***ing good. I get emotional talking about it because I love Denis [Villeneuve] and I love Greig [Fraser, cinematographer] and I love the team. But dude, number one is phenomenal and big and grandiose, and then you go close-ups and the imagery and the acting. Yeah, it's all great. It's f***ing nothing compared to number two. Number two, it's like a f***ing gut punch. It's unreal."
Hey, if the number of "f***s" is any indication, we're in for a wild ride with "Dune: Part Two." After talking in such grandiose terms, however, Ferguson did admit she hasn't "seen the film," so this is all based on her having read the script, seeing some of the footage, and obviously acting in her scenes.
Still, that should have given her a pretty comprehensive idea of how things are going to play out in the "Dune" follow-up (it's definitely not a sequel, according to Villeneuve), especially since she admitted visiting the set when she wasn't filming just to "see the setups." The actor also witnessed new cast additions Austin Butler and Christopher Walker doing their thing — all of which Ferguson claimed was "unbelievable" and "unreal."
A massive spectacle focused on human relationships
Rebecca Ferguson, who previously said her "Dune" voice was basically Donald Duck sounds, didn't stop at extolling "Dune: Part Two" as an "unreal gut punch." She also had high praise for the new cast members, including Florence Pugh who plays Princess Irulan, alongside the aforementioned Austin Butler, who will portray ruthless assassin Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Ferguson added:
"Their characters are huge and important, and they are emperors, and they are princesses, and they are brutal killers, and they are gory. They are fully and utterly needed to make the spectacle that it is, and it's the crème de la f***ing crème of actors."
That all sounds pretty enticing, and there's no doubt the cast is stacked with talent, even more so than the first movie which already had Stellan Skarsgård, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, and Javier Bardem among others backing up Timothée Chalamet. And while the new installment sounds like a truly epic outing, "Dune: Part Two" will also somehow focus on human relationships at its core, promising to deliver some emotional drama alongside the spectacle that is Timothée Chalamet riding a giant sandworm. Will we all have similarly expletive-filled praise for the film when it eventually arrives? Things are looking f***ing promising, I'll tell you that.
"Dune: Part Two" hits theaters November 3, 2023