Dune: Part Two has found its emperor (and his first decree is adding “more cowbell” to the sequel’s score).
Christopher Walken will play Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune: Part Two, the ruler of the known universe who initially sends the Atreides family to Arrakis in order to cause their downfall. In the sequel, he and the baron terrorize the populace and must contend with the rebellion. Jose Ferrer played the character in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune.
Florence Pugh and Austin Butler have also been confirmed for the sequel, which is set to begin shooting this summer in Budapest. Pugh is playing Princess Irulan, “the daughter of the emperor,” while Butler is Feyd-Rautha, “the cunning nephew of the baron who heads House Harkonnen and who is being groomed to rule Arrakis.”
Denis Villeneuve is back in the director’s chair and the returning cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Javier Bardem, among others. The script was co-written by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts.
Part Two continues from the end of Part One and finds Paul Atreides (Chalamet) fighting alongside the Fremen to free the desert planet of Arrakis from the grips of House Harkonnen.
Dune: Part Two hits theaters on October 20, 2023.
What are your thoughts on the casting? Do you think Walken is a good choice for the emperor? Is it believable he’d have Florence Pugh as a daughter? Discuss!
