Austin Butler dishes on kissing Stellan Skarsgård in ‘Dune 2’

Dune Part 2 ruled the box office over the weekend, taking just over $80 million at the US box office and around $180 million globally.

Its takings were helped by the fact that many rushed to see it at IMAX theaters. They usually charge more for tickets.

The movie has earned widespread praise from critics and audiences. One cast member who has left a particular impression is Austin Butler. The 32-year-old Australian star of Elvis plays the sadistic and evil villain, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. He’s the nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, played by Stellan Skarsgård.

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At one point in the movie, Feyd-Rautha greets the Baron with a kiss. He kisses him on the lips. The unexpected show of respect and affection is unnerving.

Talking to Access Hollywood, Butler was asked about reports he’d improvised the moment on set.

“[The kiss] with Stellan Skarsgård? Oh yeah! He’s game for anything. He’s the best…it’s always about how you’re trying to affect somebody else.”

Critics have said that Butler’s role is iconic, similar to Heath Ledger’s iconic take on the Joker in The Dark Knight.

Austin Butler in ‘DUNE: PART TWO’ is described by critics as the most memorable villain on screen since Javier Bardem in ‘No Country for Old Men’ and Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight’. pic.twitter.com/LPGx3c5w2B— Denis Villeneuve Universe (@DenisVfilms) February 25, 2024

Butler has a reputation for method acting. He was reported to take on Elvis Presley’s distinctive drawl when preparing for his Oscar-nominated role in Elvis. That involved three years of research, preparation and shooting. Butler recently told the Los Angeles Times he’d not gone as far with Dune in his method approach.

“I’ve definitely in the past, with ‘Elvis,’ explored living within that world for three years and that being the only thing that I think about day and night,” Butler admitted. “With Feyd, I knew that that would be unhealthy for my family and friends.”

Dune Part 2 cost around $190 million to produce, with a further $100 million on marketing. With no other tentpole releases on the horizon for the next couple of weeks, it looks likely to continue to dominate the box office. Many IMAX theaters are fully booked up for screenings over the coming days.

Although Dune Parts 1 and 2 cover the first Dune book, written by Frank Herbert in the mid-1960s, director Denis Villeneuve has made it clear he’d be up for shooting a third installment. Herbert wrote several Dune novels. However, Warner Bros. has yet to greenlight a third movie.

Watch a trailer for the latest movie below.

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