Acting can also be a tough job, especially when filming in adverse weather conditions. This was also clearly visible on the set of Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction spectacle “Dune: Part Two”. It was so hot there that working became a physical challenge for everyone involved – and some even suffered heatstroke.
In an interview with spoke “Elvis” star Austin Butlerwho plays Baron Harkonnen’s sadistic cousin Feyd-Rautha in the sequel, about his first days on set, which immediately tested him:
“It was 110 degrees [Fahrenheit – das sind 43 Grad Celsius] and so hot. I had the bald cap on [Feyd-Rautha ist in dem Film glatzköpfig] and it was between two sound stages that were just two gray boxes in front of 200 foot walls and sand. It became a microwave. There were people who fainted from heat stroke. And that was just my first week.”
Austin Butler still sees something positive in these difficult filming conditions: “It really brings the whole crew together. It’s a bit humbling to be in such an uncomfortable environment.”
The break between the two films was a blessing
Precisely because filming was so physically demanding for the cast and crew, In retrospect, director Denis Villeneuve is happy that “Dune” And “Dune 2“were not shot in one piece, as is often the case with major Hollywood productions – after all, you only have to set everything up once, coordinate the appointments of everyone involved and the shooting schedule. But given the heat during filming in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, among others, everyone was grateful for the break between the two films:
“Both films were made under very tough conditions, which are very physically demanding, so it was a blessing to have a break in between,” the director said. “My first thought was to make both films back to back, but now I think I would have died.”
There was another reason why it was good not to shoot the films in one take. Because the world’s reaction to part 1 gave them all such a boost of positive energy that they were ready to return to the desert for the second part.
The result of this tour de force can be seen in cinemas very soon: “Dune: Part Two” starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson and Stellan Skarsgård starts on February 29, 2024. The official FILMSTARTS review will appear soon.