How Dune's Director Made Baron Harkonnen Scary For A Modern Audience
Denis Villeneuve, the director of Dune, explains how he changed the character of Baron Harkonnen for modern cinema. Adapted from the first half of Frank Herbert’s novel of the same name, Dune was released in 2021 to huge critical and commercial acclaim. The film’s success was rewarded with nominations in ten categories at the upcoming Academy Awards, including Best Picture. A sequel, which will cover the second half of Herbert’s work, is scheduled for release in 2023.
The story of Dune centers on the young Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, as his family relocates to the desert planet of Arrakis. The family is attacked by the brutal Harkonnens, led by the enormous Baron Harkonnen, who regain control over the planet through force, killing Paul’s father in the process. Taking its lead from the book, Dune: Part Two will explore the uprising against the Harkonnens as Paul attempts to avenge his father and regain his rightful place as leader of the treacherous planet.
Related: Dune Story & World Explained: Characters, Spice & Sandworms
Now, in an event at the Directors Guild of America, Villeneuve has explained his approach to translating the character of Baron Harkonnen from the book to the big screen. The director shared his opinion that, while the majority of the book has aged well, there were some aspects that needed updating. Specifically, he stated his opinion that the novel’s villains lacked depth and were “caricature[s]”, and that with Baron Harkonnen he had “a lot of work to do”. Check out the director’s full comments below:
The book aged very well, in my humble opinion, [except] for the bad guys. They are really a caricature of ‘twirling their moustache’. I did feel that I had a lot of work to do on my
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