Zendaya in talks to join Denis Villeneuve’s Dune

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

DUNE casting news is coming at us fast these days, as filming is expected to begin on director Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of the classic Frank Herbert novel this spring in Budapest and Jordan.

This new take on the material began with a 200 page script written by Eric Roth, which has since been pared down to a less unwieldy length by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts. It has been a while since Timothee Chalamet signed on to play 

Paul Atreides, whose family assumes control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, jurisdiction over Arrakis is contested among competing noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship with nature, as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s reign.

It has also been a while since we heard that Rebecca Ferguson will be playing Paul's mother Lady Jessica. But within the last month we have learned that Oscar Isaac will be playing his father Duke Leto Atreides, Stellan Skarsgard is taking on the role of the villainous Baron Harkonnen, Dave Bautista will be playing Harkonnen's brutish nephew, and Charlotte Rampling is on board to play the emperor's truthsayer Reverend Mother Mohiam.

Now Collider has heard that the mononymous Zendaya is in talks to play Chani Kynes, "the girl of Paul's dreams". Villeneuve is hoping to make at least two DUNE films, "maybe more", and if a sequel does get greenlit Chani will be promoted into a lead role as Paul's love interest in the second movie.

Chani was played by Sean Young in David Lynch's 1984 version of DUNE, and by Barbora Kodetová in John Harrison's 2000 mini-series adaptation.

Zendaya is best known for her roles in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (pictured above), and the Disney series K.C. Undercover. She'll next be seen in this summer's SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME.

Villeneuve is producing DUNE with Mary Parent and Cale Boyter. Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Thomas Tull, and Kim Herbert are executive producing, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.