Denis Villeneuve confessed to being critical in the editing room, and this is after fans expressed their dismay over Rebecca Ferguson’s deleted scene in 2021’s Dune. In a new interview, the Canadian filmmaker reiterated that deleted scenes are as good as dead and will never be released.
He did not particularly reveal which scenes he removed in the sequel, but in the first movie, a leaked omitted scene between Lady Jessica and Paul Atreides enraged fans and demanded the director to release an extended cut.
Denis Villeneuve On Dune Deleted Scenes
Denis Villeneuve spoke with Collider and revealed his philosophy when it comes to editing movies. He explained that those removed scenes will never be released, not in a Blu-Ray or special box set. They are all gone forever.
“I’m a strong believer that when it’s not in the movie, it’s dead. I kill darlings, and it’s painful for me. Sometimes I remove shots and I say, ‘I cannot believe I’m cutting this out.’ I feel like a samurai opening my gut. It’s painful, so I cannot go back after that and create a Frankenstein and try to reanimate things that I killed. It’s too painful.”
It’s a difficult decision for him to cut any scenes they have so rigorously filmed, not to mention the cost, effort, and time they took. But as he points out, there is a reason why these scenes did not make the cut.
“When it’s dead, it’s dead, and it’s dead for a reason. But yes, it is a painful project, but it is my job. The movie prevails. I’m very, I think, severe in the editing room. I’m not thinking about my ego, I’m thinking about the movie.”
Many fans criticized Villeneuve for removing one particular scene in 2021’s Dune involving Rebecca Ferguson and Timothée Chalamet. In an Instagram post, the actress shared a photo of the deleted scene where Lady Jessica is teaching Paul Atreides how to fight. The caption wrote:
“Always an odd feeling when a scene you love doesn’t make the cut. Hope one day this one makes it out to you guys. Training my son/birthday boy in the art of the Bene Gesserit’s knife.”
While Villeneuve did not explain why he removed this scene from the final cut, fans are terribly devastated they believe they have been deprived of witnessing the character’s pivotal scenes.
Fans Demand To See Rebecca Ferguson’s Deleted Scene
The fans are clearly not happy with Denis Villeneuve deleting important scenes from the movies. Even after the director explained his side, the public still feels robbed, and many are wishing he would release a full version. Check out people’s reactions below:
We were robbed of Jessica's key scenes to seal her relationship with other characters.
She had deleted scenes we know about with :
Dr Yueh
Paul
The Baron
I think it'll have been a good way to show really who she was before been drowned by all the conscience in part 2.— Alicia (@MimiNiji) March 8, 2024
This would have made sense to keep because jessica bests Stilgar and it’s a little HUH how did she do that!?
He mentions she’s weirding way but we don’t see it or bene gesserit fighting.
— sermad (@sermad) March 9, 2024
I love Denis but I kinda hate him for cutting out so many great scenes from the movie. To go even further and promise the fans that he’ll never release them is just cruel. That’s auteurship that I really dislike as it goes too far imo.
— Tmtrnr (@Tmtrnr22) March 9, 2024
Why have we been deprived of more Lady Jessica
— Watch Masters of the Air (@jorel_mararubo) March 8, 2024
every deleted scene seems so amazing i need Denis to get over it and at least release the deleted scenes if not an extended cut
— matt (@mkal333) March 8, 2024
I respect Denis for not wanting multiple cuts of
his movie out but I deserve to see this frame in motion. I need him to do the right thing.— we all got a platypus controlling us (@cornerstcre) March 9, 2024
Who knows if these deleted scenes could still find a way to make it to the third movie? Though as Villeneuve warned fans, it’s better not to keep our hopes up too high. Hopefully, Ferguson’s character gets her much-deserved epic scenes in the upcoming installment.
Dune: Part Two is now showing in theaters.
