The Dune: Part Two Moment That Timothée Chalamet Dreamed About Since Part One

Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" films are bursting with jaw-dropping set pieces, incredible imagery, and staggering scale, all while focusing on intense and complex characters in a story that challenges the archetypal hero's journey that provides the structure for so many classic tales. Taking inspiration from Steven Spielberg's "Jaws," Villeneuve's first entry in this franchise heavily teased the gigantic sandworms that live under the sand dunes of the planet Arrakis, rarely showing them in full and only giving us a glimpse at one character riding one as other characters look on from afar.

Naturally, one might come to the conclusion that Timothée Chalamet, who plays the main character of these films, Paul Atreides, would be fired up to hop on the back of the Shai-Hulud and ride the worm himself in "Dune: Part Two." But despite how amazing that scene ended up being (and the meticulous preparation that went into achieving it), Chalamet was actually more amped to shoot a scene that comes much later in the second film, the one in which Paul gives an impassioned speech to a group of Fremen who have gathered in an underground sietch and effectively takes his place as their ruler.

In an Entertainment Weekly interview before "Dune: Part Two" hit theaters, Chalamet spoke about being especially excited to shoot that scene. "Those five days on set, speaking in a language that was conceived for the films, I was just savoring those days," he told the outlet. "I wanted to bring justice not just to the arc of Paul, but also to 'Dune.' And I knew that those were the days. Even when we rehearsed that scene, we went all in."

While the vibe on set was reportedly lighthearted between the actors, Zendaya recalled visiting the set to watch the filming of that speech and quickly realizing that the playful tone she was used to had temporarily vanished because of how serious Chalamet was about nailing the scene. "I actually felt bad about that," Chalamet remembered. "But it's true. I thought, 'I'm in the pocket. Let me just get this done.' I'm really proud of that scene. That might have been my favorite day on set."

Villeneuve told EW that he knew all about the importance Chalamet placed on that scene as an actor. "Of course it was one of Timothée's favorite moments, because he was looking for that since 'Part One!' He was begging for that moment, dreaming about it, for weeks and months — the moment where Paul will finally become the Lisan al-Gaib."

It's easy to understand why Chalamet would be excited about filming that scene. Just before this speech, Paul realizes he's secretly a part of the Harkonnen lineage, the rival family that has feuded against the Atreides for generations. It's a significant turning point for his character; when he realizes the truth, he tells his mother, "We're Harkonnens ... so this is how we survive: by being Harkonnens." That dark revelation helps fuel his decision to seize power on Arrakis, and as we see through the eyes of the characters around him, specifically Chani (Zendaya), the speech marks Paul's turn toward a more ruthless mentality — he is now willing to sacrifice countless lives in order to achieve vengeance for the death of his father and stamp out his enemies. 

When I saw the film for the first time, I remember having trouble tracking exactly when Paul makes the transition to essentially becoming the villain of the movie. Upon rewatch, I had to look no further than Chani's reaction to this speech: Everyone around her jumps to their feet and starts chanting "Lisan al-Gaib!", but she's the only one who remains crouched, looking downward and shaking her head as if she can't believe Paul would actually take this course of action, ginning up support from fundamentalists by feeding into their beliefs. Paul main be the film's main character, but Chani is the sequel's moral center, the person with whom the audience is supposed to align. In many ways, this is the most important scene in the entire "Dune" saga thus far, and Chalamet certainly rose to the moment as a performer. EW says he considers it a "career highlight," as well he should — he credibly transforms from a scrappy young adult to a leader of men right before our eyes.