Austin Butler “had a blast” working on Dune: Part Two

When Alejandro Jodorowsky was developing his unmade adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel Dune, he planned to cast Mick Jagger as the character Feyd-Rautha. When David Lynch brought his version of Dune to the screen in 1984, Feyd-Rautha was played by Sting. And in Dune: Part Two, the second half of director Denis Villeneuve‘s two-part adaptation of Dune (which is set to reach theatres on November 3, 2023), the character is played by Elvis star Austin Butler, who just received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Elvis Presley. Filmmakers really like to link Feyd-Rautha with famous musicians, either directly or with a small degree of separation. Butler has previously said that he trained with a Navy SEAL to prepare for the role in Dune: Part Two, and in a new interview he has said that he “had a blast” working on the film.

Speaking with Deadline, Butler said he was “a huge fan” of Villeneuve’s first Dune movie and enjoyed having the chance to work with the director on this one. Butler found Villeneuve to be “an incredible filmmaker, and an amazing person. We had a blast getting to collaborate on this. It was just so much fun for me, especially playing this role, to get to do something so different from anything I’ve ever done before.“

Feyd-Rautha is the younger nephew and heir of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and is depicted to be as cruel, treacherous and cunning as his uncle.

Scripted by Villeneuve, Eric Roth, and Jon Spaihts, Dune: Part One (watch or buy it HERE) stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, “a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding” who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence – a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential – only those who can conquer their fear will survive. Coming to us from Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment, Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Chalamet and Butler are joined in the cast by returning Dune: Part One cast members Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Josh Brolin, as well as new additions Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, Souheila Yacoub, and Léa Seydoux.

Villeneuve and Spaihts wrote the screenplay for Dune: Part Two. Villeneuve is also producing the film with Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe, and Patrick McCormick. Spaihts serves as executive producer alongside Josh Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, Thomas Tull, Richard P. Rubinstein, and John Harrison. Kevin J. Anderson is creative consultant.

Are you looking forward to watching Austin Butler play Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two? Let us know by leaving a comment below.