Dunepurists fear not—directorDenis Villeneuvehas confirmed that Feyd-Rautha, an antagonistic character fromFrank Herbert’s novel, will appear in theDunesequel. Given the mass of theDunelore, it would have been a heavy lift to include another character, especially one of such significance, in the first film. The character’s relatives, notably Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and Rabban (Dave Bautista), have a large presence in the first film that is expected to carry into the sequel.
Villeneuve spoke about the sequel in arecent interview with Empire. When answering whether Feyd would be included, he said the following:
“Definitely. That’s a choice that I personally brought on. There was enough characters that were introduced in this first part, and it will be more elegant to keep Feyd forPart Two. It will be definitely a very, very important character in the second part.”
Feyd is an important character, particularly in the back half ofDune. He and Paul Muad’Dib Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) have a spar, where Feyd is ultimately killed when attempting a cunning act on Paul. The young fighter tried to kill Muad’Dib with a concealed poison arrow, yet Feyd ultimately died by the end of the fight.Dune’s ending, which depicted Paul’s battle with Jamis (Babs Olusanmokun), could serve as a strong act of symbolism for what’s to come between the two young prodigies.
Related:How ‘Dune’ Shows the Limits to the Minimal Style of Denis Villeneuve’s Sci-Fi
Rumors have run rampant amongstEternalsfans who wantBarry Keoghanto take on the role opposite Chalamet. The two young talents have taken several pictures together, as both actors' stars have been on the rise in Hollywood for quite some time. Keoghan was even asked about working with Villeneuve and Chalamet byEric Eisenbergof Cinemablend, with the actor saying “he would love to if given the opportunity.” His take on Druig, particularly at his introduction inEternals, certainly evokes the prowess and slyness of Feyd as written by Herbert.
Villeneuve has said that theDunesequel wouldfocus onZendaya’s Chani, the love interest of Paul and a Fremen native. This would make sense, given her late appearance in the film outside of Paul’s dreams. The birth of Paul’s sister, Lia Atreides, should also play a major role in the sequel. Lia brings major repercussions in Herbert’s sequel novel,Dune: Messiah, though her birth does bring more development in the original, especially for Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson).
Dune: Part Twois set to hit theaters on July 01, 2025, with filming expected to commence inJuly of next year.
