The character of Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson) was briefly introduced in Dune as a loyal friend and adviser to House Atreides, but there was no sign of the Mentat (human computer) in the recent sequel.
Director Denis Villeneuve has previously said that out of all the scenes that ended up being cut from Part Two, losing Hawat was the most "painful."
"One of the most painful choices for me on this one was Thufir Hawat. He's a character I absolutely love, but I decided right at the beginning that I was making a Bene Gesserit adaptation. That meant that Mentats are not as present as they should be, but it's the nature of the adaptation."
In the book, Hawat is captured by the Harkonnens after the decimation of House Atreides, and is basically forced to serve as the Baron's new Mentat following the death of Piter De Vries. He helps the Harkonnens hunt for the Fermen leader known as Muad'Dib, unaware that he is actually Paul Atreides.
Austin Butler (Feyd Rautha) recently revealed that he shared a scene with Henderson that he wished had stayed in the movie, but it doesn't sound like Henderson himself is too bitter about the whole thing.
“I shot stuff for them and had a great time with Denis and Austin Butler,” the Civil War actor tells EW. “I got to have a nice lunch with Christopher Walken. It was a great thing to be a part of, and I understand it comes with the territory. Denis had to do the film that he had to do. So I just love being a part of it. No regrets.”
Could we eventually see any of the sequences Henderson shot released as deleted scenes? It seems highly unlikely, as Villeneuve was adamant that he has no intention of making “extended editions” of his Dune movies in the vein of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on Dune: Part Two, the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning Dune.
The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (Wonka, Call Me by Your Name), Zendaya (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Malcolm & Marie, Euphoria), Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame, Milk), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis, Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (Black Widow, Little Women), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Love and Thunder), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter,), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences), Léa Seydoux (James Bond, Crimes of the Future), with Stellan Skarsgård (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Assassin’s Creed), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Being the Ricardos).
Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with 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.