Once Upon a Time in Hollywoodbreakout starAustin Butleris being eyed to play Feyd-Rautha inDune: Part Two. As perDeadline, Butler is in early negotiations to play the character, who was famously portrayed by Sting in David Lynch’s 1984 film.
Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is the villainous nephew of Barron Vladimir Harkonnen (played by Stellan Skarsgard). He is the heir to House Harkonnen and is just as cunning and treacherous as his uncle. Although a vile and sadistic character, Feyd-Rautha plays a crucial role in Frank Herbert’s Dune, and presumably fans were disappointed at his absence in the 2021 film, but director Denis Villeneuve didn’t want to appease the viewers at the cost of storytelling andsaved Feyd-Rautha for the sequel.
“Definitely. That’s a choice that I personally brought on. There was enough characters that were introduced in this first part, and it will be more elegant to keep Feyd for Part Two. It will be definitely a very, very important character in the second part,” Villeneuve told Empire last November.
Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, his daughter Princess Irulan, and Feyd-Rautha are the major characters who will be introduced in Dune: Part Two.Florence Pugh is in talks to play Princess Irulan, and the Emperor’s casting will happen soon. Barry Keoghan was previously rumored to be playing Feyd-Rautha, and theEternalsstar was more than willing to work alongside Timothée Chalamet. Fans also called for Robert Pattinson to be cast in the role after theTenetstar recently voiced his desire to join theDunesequel.
However, Austin Butler is also an excellent choice for the role. He showed his villainous side in Quentin Tarantino’sOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood,playing the Manson family member Tex Watson. Next up, he will next star in the true-life war drama miniseries,Masters of the Air.The high-profile show is produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and reportedly has a whopping $250 million budget. Butler is also set to play famed singer Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming biopicElvis, rocking into theaters on July 13, 2025.
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Denis Villeneuve Has Promised A More Fun Dune: Part Two
One of the shortcomings (as per some people) ofDunewas its pace. While it boasted breathtaking visuals and an imposing score by Hans Zimmer, viewers unfamiliar with the novel went in expecting an action movie. That was partly due to deceptive marketing.
Dunepromos teased an epic blockbuster comprising several Hollywood A-listers andEuphoriastar Zendaya, who, despite featuring prominently in the posters and trailers,was barely in the movie. Even so,Dune’s editing was intentional, as Villeneuve as Frank Herbert’s book is among the most complex sci-fi works ever, and adequate time was needed to introduce the characters properly. But that won’t be the case withDune: Part Two, as Villeneuve explained to Screenrant:
“The difference is just that Dune: Part One, of course, is like an introduction to a world where we explain who is who, who is doing what, and what is the technology? What is the culture here? The second movie, I think, will be an opportunity to have much more fun. In a way, it will be more cinematic. That’s what I can say.”
Dune: Part Twowill be filmed this summer, with Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, and Dave Bautista all expected to return.Dune: Part Twowill be released on July 30, 2025.
