Dune: Part Two is receiving rave reviews from critics and fans alike after it finally debuted in theaters this week. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the film is based on Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi saga and stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, an exiled prince who struggles with being the prophesized chosen one.
Actor Rainn Wilson, who is known for his work in the sitcom The Office, recently took to social media to share his thoughts on the movie. Wilson made an uncanny comparison between Dune: Part Two and an iconic Star Wars movie. However, Wilson’s comparison quickly became a hot take among netizens who shared all kinds of reactions to his tweet. Here is what internet users are saying about Rainn Wilson’s Dune: Part Two hot take.
Rainn Wilson Compares Dune: Part Two to The Empire Strikes Back
Dune: Part Two was released in the United States on March 1, 2024. The film garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews, with praise for its direction, performances, and big-screen spectacle. Many critics have called it one of the greatest sequels ever made.
Actor Rainn Wilson, best known for playing Dwight Schrute in The Office, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his reaction to the movie. In his tweet, Wilson compared Dune: Part Two to Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back. Released in 1980, the latter is often regarded as one of the best sci-fi films ever made.
DUNE PART 2 = EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) March 1, 2024
Without spoiling the plot of Dune: Part Two, the film’s story structure does bear some resemblance to The Empire Strikes Back. However, Wilson’s tweet likely meant to compare the visual spectacle of Dune: Part Two with the Star Wars movie, especially in an era where the movie-going experience is dwindling. Hence, Wilson’s comparison might be coming from a cultural impact perspective.
Internet Reacts to Rainn Wilson’s Dune: Part Two Hot Take
Wilson’s tweet comparing the two movies quickly caught the attention of social media users. Netizens quickly marked Wilson’s comparison as a hot take, particularly because of the lack of context behind the comparison. As a result, X users started their own round of debate regarding the comparison between Dune: Part Two and The Empire Strikes Back.
Here is how X users reacted to Wilson’s comparison of the two movies.
BOLD! Don’t play with me
— Jacqui Vanderfluit (@vanderfluitjd) March 1, 2024
It has that energy for sure. Maybe even change the = to a >https://t.co/L3is0al8GK
— Film Colossus (@FilmColossus) March 1, 2024
Funny you should say that as Frank Herbert books were a huge influence on George Lucas
— mark bilger (@hueyball1) March 1, 2024
I think Dune Pt 2 is a superior film, though it will never have the wide appeal of a Star Wars movie.
— Sean Gearshot (@SPGear1) March 1, 2024
That’s a bold claim considering Empire Strikes Back is the greatest movie ever made.
— Քրիս (@KrispLaKreme) March 2, 2024
As the tweets suggest, fans of The Empire Strikes Back were a bit taken aback by Wilson’s comparison, particularly because it is considered one of the best movies of all time. However, some viewers agreed with the comparison and even went a step further to call Dune: Part Two the better of the two.
Ultimately, Wilson’s tweet quickly became a hot take on the internet as he ended up comparing Dune: Part Two with what many consider to be the gold standard in sci-fi filmmaking without providing proper reasoning or context for his comment. Nonetheless, given the critical reception and audience reaction to Dune: Part Two, such comparisons were likely inevitable.
Dune: Part Two is playing in theaters near you while The Empire Strikes Back is streaming on Disney+.
