Denis Villeneuve's ambitious adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune is still scheduled for release this December, and following that initial batch of official stills, Empire Magazine has debuted another new image.
Here, we get a new look at Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) gripping his Crysknife (a blade was made from the tooth of a dead sandworm of Arrakis). Although the mag doesn't specify, this shot is likely taken from an early training sequence involving Paul's weapons master Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin).
While speaking to Empire, Villeneuve teases a dramatic - not to mention pretty dark - character arc for Atreides by comparing him to The Godfather's Michael Corleone.
“Paul has been raised in a very strict environment with a lot of training, because he's the son of a Duke and one day... he's training to be the Duke,” the Blade Runner 2049 director explains. “But as much as he's been prepared and trained for that role, is it really what he dreams to be? That's the contradiction of that character. It's like Michael Corleone in The Godfather – it's someone that has a very tragic fate and he will become something that he was not wishing to become.”
For those unfamiliar with the source material, Dune follows the Atreides family as they relocate to the desolate planet of Arrakis to assume control of the production of the most valuable resource in the galaxy, the Spice Melange. Unfortunately, an act of treachery soon makes an outcast of The Duke Atreides' youngest son Paul, and he must accept his destiny as a powerful prophet of the Arrakis natives known as The Fremen.
You'll find a breakdown of the main characters and who'll be playing them along with some of the previously released images below. We don't spoil any major events from the book, but if you'd rather go in knowing as little as possible, might be best to skip it!
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Paul Atreides
Paul Atreides is the primary protagonist of
Dune.
Born on the planet Caladan to Duke Leto Atreides I and his Bene Gesserit concubine Lady Jessica, Paul eventually travels to Arrakis and winds up becoming a Messiah-like figure to the desert planet's indigenous people, The Fremen. There, he meets and falls in love with a Fremen warrior named Chani, and is forced to choose between settling down with her and embracing the terrifying destiny glimpsed in his spice-induced visions.
Paul will be played by Call Me By Your Name star Timothée Chalamet.
Chani Kynes
Fremen warrior and Paul Areides' love interest, Chani is the daughter of half-Fremen planetologist Liet Kynes.
When Paul arrives on Arrakis, Chani is serving under Stilgar as his right-hand woman but soon falls for the mysterious young newcomer - even though she remains wary of the powerful prescient visions they share.
Spider-Man: Far From Home's Zendaya will play Chani in Villeneuve's film.
Lady Jessica Atreides
Lady Jessica is the official concubine of Duke Leto Atreides I, and the mother of his son Paul. She is also a member of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, and possesses powerful abilities.
Upon arriving on Arrakis, Jessica is welcomed into the ranks of The Fremen along with her son, and eventually accepts the position of new Reverend Mother, despite being aware of the potentially catastrophic repercussions of this action.
Jessica will be played by
Mission: Impossible - Fallout star Rebecca Ferguson.
Duke Leto Atreides I
Paul's father Leto Atreides I starts out as the ruler of the planet Caladan, but when The Emperor asks him to take control of Arrakis and oversee spice production there, he relocates to the planet known as
Dune with his son and concubine, Jessica.
Leto is generally well liked and respected by all of his subjects for his even-handed and compassionate leadership style, but this also leads to jealousy among his fellow noblemen of the other Great Houses.
This take on Leto Atreides will be brought to life by Oscar Isaac (
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, X-Men: Apocalypse).
Stilgar
Stilgar Ben Fifrawi is the noble Naib (leader) of Sietch Tabr, a Fremen tribe of Arrakis, and one of Paul Atreides' most loyal allies.
When Leto and his family relocate to Dune, Stilgar and his people are wary of their motives at first but soon come to view The Duke's son Paul as the desert messiah of their ancient prophecies. Stilgar also strikes up a strong friendship with Duncan Idaho.
In
Dune (2020), this character will be played by Javier Bardem (
Skyfall, No Country for Old Men, Mother!).
Duncan Idaho
Duncan Idaho is a skilled swordmaster loyal to House Atreides who helps to train Paul in various combat styles.
In the novel, Leto sends Duncan to Arrakis as an envoy to get a read on the nomadic Fremen population. While there, Idaho strikes up a friendship with Stilgar and ultimately winds up pledging dual allegiance to the Atreides and the Fremen leader.
Aquaman star Jason Momoa has been cast as this fan-favorite character.
Gurney Halleck
The ruthless, but noble Warmaster for House Atreides, Gurney Halleck was one of Paul's principal teachers along with Duncan during his early years on Caladan.
An exceptionally skilled warrior, Gurney is described as "an ugly lump of a man" in the source material, which may suggest that the actor who'll be playing him, Josh Brolin, will be undergoing a slight transformation for the role.