Once Upon a Time in Hollywood breakout star Austin Butler is being eyed to play Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two. As per Deadline, 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 and saved 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 the Eternals star was more than willing to work alongside Timothée Chalamet. Fans also called for Robert Pattinson to be cast in the role after the Tenet star recently voiced his desire to join the Dune sequel.
However, Austin Butler is also an excellent choice for the role. He showed his villainous side in Quentin Tarantino’s Once 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 biopic Elvis, rocking into theaters on June 24, 2022.
Denis Villeneuve Has Promised A More Fun Dune: Part Two
One of the shortcomings (as per some people) of Dune was 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.
Dune promos teased an epic blockbuster comprising several Hollywood A-listers and Euphoria star 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 with Dune: 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 Two will 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 Two will be released on October 20, 2023.