Tim Blake Nelson has spoken out.
As Dune: Part Two finally hits cinemas, fans have noticed there are a few major characters missing from Denis Villeneuve’s second instalment – and now one of the actors has spoken out on his absence.
Tim Blake Nelson, who was due to appear in the film is an as of yet unconfirmed role, has said he was “heartbroken” to be cut.
He told MovieWeb: “I don’t think I’m at liberty to say what the scene was.
“I’d leave that to Denis [Villeneuve] if he wants to talk about it. I had a great time over there shooting it. And then he had to cut it because he thought the movie was too long.
“And I am heartbroken over that, but there’s no hard feelings. I loved it, and I can’t wait to do something else with him and we certainly plan to do that.”
Neither Nelson nor Villenueve have disclosed what Nelson’s role was, but it’s been assumed by some that he was due to play Count Fenring, the husband of Léa Seydoux’s character Lady Margot Fenring.
In the books, Count Fenring is a close friend of Emperor Shaddam (played by Christopher Walken), with the character and his wife having their own language.
While he was cut from Dune: Part Two, it’s possible that he could appear in a third film, based on Frank Herbert’s novel Dune Messiah, if it’s greenlit.
Elsewhere, Stephen McKinley Henderson’s character Thufir Hawat was cut from Dune: Part Two, despite appearing in the first film.
Villeneuve recently told RadioTimes.com of the changes he made: “It’s a true adaptation in the sense that it’s like my take on the book.
“And there are strong decisions that were made in order to bring this adaptation to the screen – these decisions have been made in order to be faithful to Frank Herbert.
Read more:
- Denis Villeneuve on Dune changes: ‘My goal was to be faithful to Frank Herbert’
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“So in some strange way, my goal was to be faithful to Monsieur Herbert and less to the book, more to Frank’s vision.”
He added that he was “absolutely confident” in the changes that he had made and said there had been “no hesitation” from him and co-writer Jon Spaihts when deciding what to discard from the book and what to keep.
The second instalment, which has been praised by critics and audiences alike, picks up with Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides as he attempts to win the trust of the Fremen.