Zendaya teases her expanded role in Dune 2, but it's not the biggest change between the movie and the novel
Jan. 30, 2024Exclusive: Chani and Lady Jessica will have greater roles in Dune 2, according to Zendaya and Denis Villeneuve
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The firstDunemovie was all about Paul (Timothée Chalamet), but it seems like that’s all about to change in the upcoming sequel with Zendaya’s Fremen character Chani coming into her own.
Chani’s limited role in Part One will be greatly expanded in Part Two, even beyond the scope of the novel, with director Denis Villeneuve claiming that “as the movie progresses, there’s a shift in the main character, and Chani becomes my reference as a point of view.”
Speaking toTotal Film in our new issue, which featuresDune 2on the cover and is out this Thursday, Zendaya notes that “what Denis does very well is take the female characters more deeply into consideration” in a way that was rarely the case for science fiction in the ’60s.
“He was really able to build out a strong sense of [Chani’s] own views and life,” she says. “It wasn’t entirely like she’s at the will of who she’s in love with. I did feel a particular sense of care for what Chani represents in his films.”
Paul (Timothée Chalamet)’s mother Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson, similarly benefits from this sense of care. Villeneuve even highlights her increased presence as the single biggest difference between the novel and his adaptation.
“Strangely, Jessica’s more in the background in the second part [of the novel] – I thought that was not proper,” he asserts. “She’s still Lady Jessica, the main architect of the story. I thought that was a very powerful idea that was not sustained in the book. I made sure that she has the character presence in the second part.”
Dune 2 releases on March 1. You can read more about it, and a whole lot else besides, in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, February 1. Check out the covers below:
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I’m the Deputy Editor at Total Film magazine, overseeing the features section of every issue where you can read exclusive, in-depth interviews and see first-look images from the biggest films. I was previously the News Editor at sci-fi, fantasy and horror movie bible SFX. You’ll find my name on news, reviews, and features covering every type of movie, from the latest French arthouse release to the biggest Hollywood blockbuster. My work has also featured in Official PlayStation Magazine and Edge.
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