If you instantly became a fan of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune (2021), then buckle up for Dune: Part Two, for the upcoming movie confirmed to bring in more thrills and surprises. With the sequel’s release date approaching close, fans are getting to learn more about the inside details of the upcoming film.
One such amazing detail about Dune 2 involves the use of IMAX cameras during production. Going full Christopher Nolan, particularly for one scene, Denis Villeneuve revealed how he forced the studio to accept his demand. According to reports, the director shot the gladiator scene in the sequel with infrared lenses.
Dune: Part Two is Shot With IMAX Cameras
Following the massive success of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune (2021), the studio is now bringing back its highly anticipated sequel Dune: Part Two, featuring a story of revenge and power between Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha. But what’s more exciting about the sequel is that it went full Christopher Nolan.
Well, to be precise, according to Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two has been entirely shot in IMAX. As per Collider reports, for the first installment, only 40% of the movie was filmed while using that format. So now, with the whole movie being shot using IMAX cameras, promises to bring a whole new look to the second part.
“Definitely. [Cinematographer] Greig Fraser and I, we fell in love with this format, and definitely there be—even probably more—IMAX footage in this movie. Definitely.” Villeneuve shared.
However, that isn’t the only exciting part of the upcoming movie. There are a few more shocking details that were later shared by Total Film in their magazine. One such intriguing detail is the use of infrared lenses while shooting a particular scene featuring Austin Butler‘s Feyd-Rautha.
Denis Villeneuve Used Infrared Lenses for One Dune 2 Scene
Scooping the information out of Total Film magazine, Johnny Sobczak shared the interesting detail on X. Revealing how, apart from the use of IMAX cameras, Dune 2 also used infrared lenses. The user noted why exactly Denis Villeneuve implemented a colorless scene in the movie.
According to reports, Denis Villeneuve used infrared lenses for the gladiator fight scene on the Harkonnen homeworld of Giedi Prime. As per the storyline, since the House Harkonnen is known for its brutality, and the gladiator fights, the director found it interesting to feature such a brutal scene where Feyd-Rautha kills his opponent with treachery in monochrome.
“I explained to the studio: We shoot it this way, and there’s no way we can go back. They signed with their blood. But it created a very powerful, eerie feeling that I love.”
“I loved the idea that in different worlds, the laws of physics could be different. Maybe there are some stars in the universe where the light doesn't reveal colours; it's the opposite, it kills colours. I thought a black-and-white world would fit with their primitive mentality.”
— Johnny Sobczak (@JohnnySobczak) February 1, 2024
“I loved the idea that in different worlds, the laws of physics could be different. Maybe there are some stars in the universe where the light doesn’t reveal colours; it’s the opposite, it kills colours. I thought a black-and-white world would fit with their primitive mentality.”
Denis Villeneuve explained that the reason behind using infrared lenses was to offer a metaphorical representation of the House Harkonnen’s primitive mentality. Not just that, he also imagined a scientific point of view, where some stars kill the colors of the universe and therefore appear monochromatic. Thus, offering the studio these two ideas, Villeneuve eventually received a green light to proceed.
Dune: Part Two is arriving in theatres on March 15, 2024. Till then, wait for the cinematic magic to unravel.
