It seems as if the casting for director Denis Villeneuve’s Dune has shifted into high gear. Yesterday we had news that Oscar Isaac was in talks to join the film as Duke Leto Atreides, the father of the story’s hero Paul. And now we are finding out who will be playing the hero’s love interest.
Spider-Man: Homecoming actress Zendaya is currently in talks to play Chani, a warrior member of the Freman tribe on the desert planet Arakis who shelter Paul and his mother when they flee from the soldiers of a rival Royal House.
Call Me By Your Name star Tomthee Chalamet will be playing Paul Atreides, the young man who discovers that he may be a prophesized leader of the Freman. Rebecca Ferguson is set to play Lady Jessica, Paul’s mother.
The rest of the cast so far includes Charlotte Rampling as the scheming Reverand Mother Mohaim, Stellan Skarsgard as the evil Baron Harkonnen and Dave Bautista as the Baron’s sadistic nephew Rabban.
However the film turns out, I have to at least compliment Villeneuve and his casting director on landing actors who just seem perfect for each role they have been cast in. With each new announcement, before I even see whom they are playing, I have guessed accurately what character from Frank Herbert’s sprawling science fiction epic they would be portraying. If nothing else, this film will not fail from having the wrong actors.
No date for the start of production of Dune has been announced, but it can’t be too far off with the way casting announcements have been coming out, it should probably be soon.
