Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, which released this year, boasted an incredible cinematic experience for the audiences. One of the primary highlights of the Dune franchise has been the Sandworms. The colossal spice-producing worms on the planet of Arrakis were hauntingly beautiful and provided an exceptional theater experience.
One might think that the sandworm must be the toughest part of the franchise based on Frank Herbert’s works. However, the mastermind behind both the Dune films, Villeneuve has claimed that the Desert Mouse was no cakewalk as well.
Even after successfully bringing the mammoth Sandworms on-screen, Denis Villeneuve admitted that the small Desert Mouse demanded a lot of work from the creative department.
What did Denis Villeneuve say about the Desert Mouse in Dune?
Despite being a vast desert planet, Arrakis is an interesting world to explore in the sci-fi universe created by Frank Herbert and re-imagined by Denis Villeneuve. The tiny Desert Mouse, known as Muad’Dib was one of the most fascinating creatures of Arrakis alongside the Sandworms.
When the tiny desert mouse with long ears was first shown in 2021’s Dune, the audience was impressed with how believable it looked. As the Muad’Dib became a more significant element in Dune: Part Two’s story, the people started to wonder if such a creature even existed in reality.
The Kangaroo Mouse in the Dune universe is hailed by the Fremen for its ability to survive in the harsh world of Arrakis. Although the creature bears a resemblance to the real-life Jeroba mouse, Villeneuve has claimed that the creature is largely drawn from Frank Herbert’s description. However, according to Time, it was extremely hard for the director to bring the magic of Muad’Dib on-screen.
It was a lot of work to make this creature, he says. But the effect is worth it. You believe in this mouse, and more important, you believe in the challenge of the world around him. Without consciously trying, Villeneuve has captured the allure of what we commonly call science fiction. ‘It’s like an act of hope, the ultimate way of dreaming.’
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films flaunt iconic performances, accompanied by incredible visuals and a haunting score by Hans Zimmer. The film took no time to become the highest-grosser of 2024 and garner critical acclaim from audiences and critics.
What is the future of the Dune franchise?
It looks like the audience was startled by Timothée Chalamet riding the giant sandworm as the film went on to earn a mammoth $771 million at the box office (via The Numbers). Although the success has motivated the studio to go for a threequel, Denis Villeneuve has expressed his desire to not rush and take his time to complete his Dune trilogy.
Additionally, Max is also about to release a prequel series set 10,000 years before the films. The series titled Dune: Prophecy will focus on the fascinating origin of Bene Gesserit. Although Villeneuve is not involved with the project, the teaser trailer gave us a glimpse of some breathtaking visuals.
Dune: Prophecy will be premiered on Max in Fall 2024 while the Denis Villeneuve films can be streamed on Max.
