While trilogies have found it hard to end things on a high note, things are quite the contrary in the case of the second film in most iconic trilogies, which often turns out the best among the bunch. And similar might be the case for Dune too, as Part Two improves upon almost every aspect of its predecessor, which might be a difficult threshold to surpass for the potential threequel.
But like every other media, Dune 2 isn’t immune to criticisms, as despite fans being in awe of its visuals, direction, acting, and score, many were let down by Christopher Walken’s casting.
Christopher Walken’s Casting as the Emperor Didn’t Sit Well With Fans
While most agree the casting for the live-action adaptation of Frank Herbart’s acclaimed novel was spot on, not everyone has seen eye to eye with Christopher Walken‘s casting as the Emperor. The common complaint among many critics and fans included Walken’s casting as Emperor of Shaddam, with them stressing Christopher Walken was badly miscast in the role.
In The Weekly Planet podcast, hosted by James Clement, aka Mr Sunday Movies, Clement, and his co-host Nick Mason, elaborated on why the Walken’s casting didn’t work. Unlike other actors in the film, who disappear into their onscreen counterparts, the duo stressed that Walken plays himself, which could reasonably take viewers out of the immersion.
“The Christopher Walken casting just to me felt odd because he is the emperor of the universe. But he’s just Christopher Walken and he’s got his big Rick and Morty hair that he has and whatever… He’s not even bad in this, I just think he may be miscast… He is bound by who he is.”
Although it’s not hard to see why some were disappointed by the Pulp Fiction Star’s casting, some argued his casting was perfect, as despite being the Emperor, he was meant to be a nothing character.
Dune Messiah Will Mark Denis Villeneuve’s Exit From the Franchise
Excluding the debate surrounding Christopher Walken’s casting, Dune: Part Two has been unanimously praised for being a worthy successor to the first one. And with the ending perfectly setting up the path for the adaptation of Dune Messiah, which is yet to get greenlit by WBD, it will be Denis Villeneuve‘s last installment in the franchise.
In a recent interview with Time Magazine, the director confirmed:
“Dune Messiah should be the last Dune movie for me,”
While it’ll be interesting to see if other directors will be brought in to helm the franchise moving forward, for now, fans will hope the potential threequel will follow in the footsteps of the sequel.
Dune: Part Two is currently running in theatres.
