‘Dune’ star Timothée Chalamet and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve discuss overcoming their fears to film the sci-fi epic.
In “Dune,” Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides is heard opining, “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.” The line of dialogue is one of the most famous quotes from Frank Herbert’s classic novel and, now, one of the major themes of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s big-screen adaptation. But when it comes to translating a 700-page sci-fi epic into a blockbuster movie – especially when previous attempts to successfully translate the dense material for the screen have been shaky at best — there was a healthy amount of fear from everyone involved. Villeneuve had been dreaming of bringing Herbert’s book to life since he first read it as a teenager. In a joint interview with Chalamet, the filmmaker admitted that his biggest fear once he finally got the green light from Warner Bros. and Legendary to make the movie was disappointing himself. “I was afraid of not being able to be good enough,” Villeneuve told Variety. “That I will not be able to please that teenager that was dreaming 35 years ago about this movie.” Fortunately for the filmmaker, “Dune” has been a big success thus far. The movie racked up $40 million for its opening weekend in the U.S., after opening across Europe over recent weeks. The movie is also streaming on HBO Max, with fans joining Chalamet’s Paul Atreides on his coming-of-age journey from the comfort of their homes. “Dune” follows the young heir to House Atreides as he and his family travel from their home on Caladan to take charge of Arrakis, a harsh, desert planet that is the most dangerous on in their universe, fought over for centuries as the primary producer of spice — the highly valued, mind-expanding natural resource upon which space travel and commerce all rely. But the voyage is not only one of physical relocation; it also represents an internal journey, as the brilliant and gifted Paul must discover his true purpose in the world, all while fighting to survive.
