Denis Villeneuve Believes Dune: Part Two's Stars Will Be 'The New Power In Hollywood'

Denis Villeneuve assembled one heck of a cast for "Dune," and that ensemble is only growing in the upcoming "Dune: Part Two." Several big stars are on board, including Florence Pugh ("Midsommar"), Austin Butler ("Elvis"), and Christopher Walken ("Catch Me If You Can"). Crucially, some of the biggest additions to the cast are younger stars, who join Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya on that front. Casting the next generation of superstars was no mistake, and it was something the director did very deliberately, in part because he believes those actors can help bring people back to theaters.

Pugh, Butler, Chalamet, and Zendaya are all firmly on Hollywood's A-list. But they're also some of only a small handful of stars under the age of 50 that general audiences will pay to see in a movie just because they're in it. In a piece last year in Time about Pugh and her rise to fame, Villeneuve discussed her casting as Princess Irulan and, broadly, about the younger cast he's put at the center of these films:

"I needed people who have the necessary charisma. I think Florence, Zendaya, Timothée [Chalamet], and Austin [Butler], they will be the new power in Hollywood. These strong, charismatic figures will drag people back to the theater."

The report also referenced a study from last year that found the stars that audiences are most interested in seeing in movies were pretty much all over the age of 40 — if not much older. Tom Cruise (61), Dwayne Johnson (51), Tom Hanks (67), Brad Pitt (60), and Denzel Washington (69) led the way. The youngest person in the top 20 was "Thor" star Chris Hemsworth, who is now 40. So yes, Hollywood badly needs to try and invest in new movie stars. Thankfully, Villeneuve is doing his part.

While there is concern that the current crop of stars capable of bringing people out to theaters will age out, there is reason to be optimistic. Pugh recently appeared in "Oppenheimer," one of the biggest hits of 2023, in addition to lending her voice talents to "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish," which was also a major success. Chalamet, meanwhile, is the star of "Wonka," which is on the verge of passing $600 million worldwide. Zendaya was MJ in Sony's most recent "Spider-Man" trilogy, with "Spider-Man: No Way Home" ranking as one of the biggest movies of all time. Butler, meanwhile, helped make "Elvis" into a wildly successful biopic that netted him an Oscar.

All of that younger star power, mixed with the likes of Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, and Rebecca Ferguson, helps make the "Dune" films very appealing. Not only that, but we also recently learned that "The Queen's Gambit" star Anya Taylor-Joy is in the sequel as well, which only helps to further boost its profile. This is the kind of investment in younger movie stars that can help ensure that we have stars for the future.

"Dune: Part Two" once again follows Chalamet's Paul Atreides as he unites with Zendaya's Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

"Dune: Part Two" hits theaters on March 1, 2024.