The Godfather trilogy began in 1972 and is still considered one of the most iconic and influential films of all time. If you truly want to get into the essence of cinema, The Godfather is a must-watch for you. No wonder the film found a place for itself in the U.S. National Film Registry. It had a ton of unforgettable characters that filmmakers haven’t been able to replicate, even today. But now, it looks like Dune 2 has come to challenge this statement. At least, according to Denis Villeneuve.
In a recent interview, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve compared Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides to Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone. Given the fact that Michael Corleone is one of the most iconic and tragic characters in cinema history, it goes without saying that Denis Villeneuve’s comment has received mixed reactions from the fans of the film industry.
Denis Villeneuve Compares Dune 2’s Paul Atreides to Michael Corleone
In conversation with The New York Times, Denis Villeneuve answered all that he could about Dune: Part Two, leaving no details behind. During the interview, the filmmaker was asked about the betrayal of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides toward the Fremen and Zendaya’s Chani.
In the film, Paul earns Chani’s trust after he reassures her that he’s not there to rule the Fremen, but to fight alongside them. He spends months learning the culture of the Fremen, only increasing Chani in her trust, only to betray her in the end by using her people for his own vengeful quest.
Talking about the film’s ending and Paul’s ultimate decision, Villeneuve told TNYT,
“He betrayed her in many ways. But the big thing for Chani is that it’s not about love. It’s about the fact that he becomes the figure that will keep the Fremen in their mental jail. A leader that is not there to free the Fremen, but to control them. That’s the tragedy of all tragedies.”
He then went ahead and compared Paul to Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone in The Godfather stating,
“Like the Michael Corleone of sci-fi, he becomes what he wanted to avoid. And he will try to find a way to save his soul in the third part.”
Needless to say, the comparison has received mixed reviews from those who have watched both films.
Fans React to Denis Villeneuve’s Comment
Villeneuve’s comments were quick to reach social media where the filmmaker received varying reactions from his fans. While some were totally on board and agreed with what he had to say, others couldn’t comprehend the fact that he would go ahead and compare Paul to Michael.
Here’s a look into what both sides have to say about Villeneuve’s judgment:
He didn't have to say that loud… Most of the people who watched both the films knew that.
— DepressedBergman (@DannyDrinksWine) April 19, 2024
This is not the right comparison lol
— nick (@nickamadruto) April 19, 2024
@JefferyOnTheMic @JMccuh what a stellar comparison
— Python (@PythonDesignsHD) April 19, 2024
— António G. Pimentel (@Antgentil96) April 19, 2024
This is actually a pretty good analogy. Only problem is that it implies the third film will be universally hated. Hope that doesn’t happen lol
— キューダイナミク 🇸🇩 (@QDynamicc) April 19, 2024
''Paul Atreides is the 'Michael Corleone of sci-fi'
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂— Sebastian (@S3ba1Kilme) April 19, 2024
The American Film Institute listed Michael as the eleventh most iconic villain in film history back in 2003. However, you could also say that the character was more of a tragic hero if anything. Al Pacino’s work in the films will be penned down in history and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that students will be studying his portrayal of the character in film school in the future.
Therefore, comparing Paul to Michael is a huge deal. This just puts a lot of pressure on the character, Villeneuve, and Chalamet to create Dune 3 in a way that will justify the filmmaker’s statement. These words could come back to bite Villeneuve in the future if the sequel does not perform well since he has now exponentially raised the expectations fans have from the franchise.
You can stream The Godfather on Peacock Premium whereas Dune: Part Two is currently playing in theaters.
