Lee Gyu-lee is a business writer at The Korea Times, focusing primarily on IT & telecommunications, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA. Prior to this, she has covered a wide range of cultural news, from film, television and K-pop to lifestyle and fashion.
'Dune: Part Two': most challenging but proud work, says director Denis Villeneuve
Director Denis Villeneuve, who helmed the movie series “Dune,” poses during a press conference for the new film “Dune: Part Two,” held at CGV in Yonsan District, on Friday.
By Lee Gyu-lee
Director Denis Villeneuve shared a glimpse of the new blockbuster “Dune: Part Two,” the much-anticipated sequel of the sci-fi “Dune" (2021).
“With Part Two, the (filming) schedule was tight, so we had to work hard, and there were several difficult aspects including technical. It was the most challenging film in my career,” the director said during a press conference for the film held at CGV in Yonsan District, on Friday. “I would say, my colleagues and I, are proud of the filmmaking.”
The action film, based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, revolves around Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), the heir of House Atreides, embarking on a journey to a different planet, Arrakis, where chaos ensues to control melange, a precious resource.
A poster for the film “Dune: Part Two" / Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Part Two is set to debut in February next year, and will pick up on Paul’s journey, as he and his mother settle into the Fremen, a sub-culture of humans descended from the Zensunni Wanderers. Reuniting with Chani (Zendaya), he seeks revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family, facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe.
The director noted that the sequel will be more action-packed than the previous one.
“The first part was more contemplative. It was about a boy discovering a new planet and culture. This time, it’s more masculine. There’s action from the beginning of the movie. It has a different pace (in story development),” he said, adding the new movie will delve further into the characters’ relationships and their emotions.
“Part Two is very vivid and deeply zooms in on the relationships between the characters. I tried to portray the intensity of emotions. There is also a love story between Paul and Chani. You will be able to see changes in Paul through this.”
Blowing new life into an extensive book series, the director noted how difficult it was to decide what to include and what to leave out of the film.
“My focus was on the vision and to create the image of the world (from the book). The book is dense and complex and has a lot of different tribes, families and planets. So I made bold choices,” Villeneuve said.
“Most of the major scenes were shot almost entirely in the desert, making it much more immersive. The screen allows us to create a relationship with the landscape, which also gives a sense of intimacy with the characters … I was trying to capture more density and emotion.”
He emphasized that despite making appropriate changes to the film, the key vision was to capture the original author’s message. “The key idea (Frank had) was the warning; a warning of what happens when politics and religion come together … I tried to convey a message about the dangers associated with charismatic heroes and leaders,” he said.
When asked about a potential third installment of the film, the director said he is in the process of scripting Part Three.
“The original book of ‘Dune’ was made into Parts One and Two. So if we were to make Part Three, it will be based on ‘Dune Messiah,’” he said.