Architect of Arrakis: “Dune: Part Two” Editor Joe Walker on Forging a Ferocious Masterpiece
There’s a scene in Dune: Part Two where Chani (Zendaya) tells Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), “You’ll never lose me as long as you stay who you are.” Editor Joe Walker, who won an Academy Award for his work on Dune: Part One, allowed the foretelling moment to breathe. “There’s quite a pause after that line,” he shares with The Credits about the tragedy to come. The chemistry between Paul and Chani was just one of several storylines in the second installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga Walker navigated with ambition and care.
“It’s a lot more challenging to have a large cast and doubly so with a book that’s rich,” Walker says of the film, which had its initial November 2023 release moved to March 2024 due to industry labor strikes. The extra time allowed the editor to “chisel away” at the project, perfecting storylines and steering new characters and plot points. “What I think we did well in part one was disguise how much setting up there was for this second film. It meant many of the characters had limited screen time in the first film, but with Part Two, they are given a little bit more space for the drama to unfold.”
Three of the narratives consuming Part Two are Paul’s romance with Chani, a psychotic killer named Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), and Paul becoming the leader of the Fremen. Below, Walker shares how he threaded those story puzzle pieces together for the critically acclaimed sequel.
The Love
The first film ends with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) meeting Chani (Zendaya), who, along with fellow Fremen, take Paul and his Bene Gesserit mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), into hiding. In Part Two, the relationship between Paul and Chani blossoms. Walker intertwined their arc with tender playfulness, blending intimacy with the practicality of Paul learning his new desert way of life.
Joe Walker: “Their relationship was the most important thing to get right in the film. We are leaning into action adventure and dazzling sequences, but if the heart isn’t in the right place, then it’s not going to work. We spent a lot of time taking care of that relationship. It’s almost like an Alexander Calder sculpture. They’re delicate, and if you lean too heavily into one piece, then the whole thing collapses.”
“Denis didn’t want Paul to automatically gain Chani’s hand. She doesn’t pay him serious attention until he’s proven himself. And boy, does he ever prove himself to be a fearless and brave man who reassures her that he’s going to be an equal in some way.”
“It was also allowing it to be romantic. The scene on the dune where Paul talks about where he comes from – the world of castles and water – and how it’s not like that for her, that entire scene was charged. It was so clear from the dailies that it was going to be one of those rare, beautiful moments. Putting that scene together happened so quickly. It was one where we said let’s get the best out of Hans [Zimmer]. Later, Chani says in the film, “The world has made choices for us.” And that’s really how it plays out in this drama, making it all the more tragic.
The Villain
Portrayed by Austin Butler, Feyd-Rautha is the ruthless nephew of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), a character director Denis Villeneuve says “is motivated by power and ambition” and has “no moral boundaries.” His pale white skin, hairless body, and chiseled physique are a temple of Harkonnen blood. His deadening stare pierces the soul. Traits the Bene Gesserit strategically groomed to be the next potential Emperor. We first witness Feyd’s merciless strength in fighting against three captured Atreides soldiers, including Lieutenant Lanville (Roger Yuan), inside a massive coliseum of cheering Harkonnen. The bloodthirsty bout is a gift from Baron Harkonnen on Feyd’s birthday.
Joe Walker: “Some of the very first material I received was from the gladiatorial arena. Feyd is a terrifying character, and I couldn’t have dreamt of him looking the way he did. Denis and Austin found something tremendous together for his character, and when we first meet Feyd, he is kind of a rock star living a life of massive corruption and self-serving violence surrounded by his ladies.”
“What was fun cutting that sequence was creating a world not just visually, but in sound terms, something that doesn’t sound like a 21st Century sports event but has its own unique flavor. We spent a long time developing layers upon layers of different Harkonnen sounds. It was also uncompromising filmmaking in many ways, as it was shot in high infrared. Denis had this concept that the sun on Giedi Prime would suck the color out of the world. It’s this stark black and white but peculiar in the way that makes you very aware of the vein structure of peoples’ eyes and the thinness of their skin. That look was all baked into the image, and it was a bold touch from the production team.”
“We also wanted to show the fight was a breeze for Feyd and there was nothing challenging about it. But right at the end of the fight, there’s a nice implication of masochism—that Feyd has been in control and has been the more powerful person all the way long. He’s just entertaining life at the edge of a blade. Lady Margot Fenring [Léa Seydoux] says at one point, “He loves pain.”
The One
As Part Two unfolds, Paul becomes part of the Fremen culture. We see him train in the desert, ransack spice harvesters, and ride sandworms. His rise among the Fremen people is fueled by the whispers of Lady Jessica, who has become their Reverend Mother. A fiery speech held in southern Arrakis transforms Paul from a fatherless boy into a worshiped messiah – The One.
Joe Walker: “I felt like it would shortchange the story completely if we didn’t lean into the Fremen culture. I feel it would be sidelining something very important not only in the film but in the book. Paul is passionate about the Fremen culture, and I always feel that’s something Timothée carries off well. You have this sense that if it weren’t for blood, he would be content to be a Fremen for the rest of his days.”
“It’s interesting to see how Paul must transform from a young adult who, when we first meet him, is a guy dreaming about a girl who doesn’t want to practice with his mother at the breakfast table. But through the course of it, it becomes, first of all, a man, and then this superpower in a way.”
“With Feyd-Rautha, there’s a lot of complicated stuff going on and how much of a flipside to Paul he is. It’s an important piece of architecture you establish that Feyd is a profoundly dangerous opponent, so he becomes this politically, emotionally, and physically way to match Paul.”
The Experience
Dune: Part Two is a treasure trove of visceral imagery and immersive sound that should be experienced in theaters. Walker agrees.
Joe Walker: “I think it’s essential. It’s been completely designed for large-screen entertainment. Not just to see it but to hear it. Denis and I share a great love of sound together, and we invest so much time on a dense, layered soundtrack working with geniuses like Richard King, Doug Hemphill, Ron Bartlett, and Hans Zimmer, of course. It’s kind of the pinnacle of people being engaged in making something that’s spectacular to sit in front of. And you’re in the world, completely scooped up by the experience because it’s been designed as a very compelling cinematic experience.
Dune: Part Two is in theaters now.
For more on Dune: Part Two, check out these stories:
“Dune: Part Two” Set for a Sandworm-Sized Opening Weekend
“Dune: Part Two” Review Round-Up: A Breathtaking, Cosmically Scaled Sci-Fi Masterpiece
Featured image: Caption: (L-r) TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET as Paul Atreides and AUSTIN BUTLER as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ action adventure “DUNE: PART TWO,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Niko Tavernise
