Stellan Skarsgård praises the “huge sets” behind “Dune: Part Two” as another reason practical effects trump green screens.
The actor compared the upcoming Denis Villeneuve-directed sequel to the ‘Star Wars’ Disney+ series ‘Andor’ during an interview with Entertainment Weekly. The production of “Andor” built an entire outdoor city for the series, similar to the far-reaching practical effects behind “Dune”.
“I was very happy to be in that ‘Star Wars’ kind of universe and not like a lot of movies, where you’re just in the green screen world,” Skarsgård said. “Because it hits you physically when you have the set. You can’t deny it. It was the same with the ‘Dune’ sets. They’re physically there, these huge sets, and you feel it in your body. You move differently.
He added: “We had all of Ferrix built like this city. It’s very exciting.”
“Dune: Part Two” will be released in theaters on November 3rd. Lead star Chalamet admitted he was “blind-blind” by the production scale of the first ‘Dune’ film. Director Villeneuve also teases that the all-IMAX-shot sequel is the “main course” of the sci-fi epic saga, as opposed to the “appetizer” of the debut film.
“’Part Two’ is a much more action-packed, epic war film, much bulkier, much more dance,” Villeneuve said during the 2023 CinemaCon. He added that while this is a resurrection of Arrakis, the film features set and completely new designs.
Skarsgård plays villain Baron Vladimir Harkonnen in the “Dune” films, spending much of his time on set in the makeup chair to suit the character’s sinister and inky look. Joining him in the cast this time are Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, along with the regular cast of ‘Dune: Part One’.
The sets of “Dune: Part One” earned the film the Academy Award for Best Production Design.
For all the details on “Dune: Part Two”, click here.
