It’s been an incredible year for cinema, from bold horror films to sequels that were worth the nearly 25-year-long wait. But only one feature could take the top spot on GamesRadar+’s best movies of 2024 list and it had to be Dune: Part Two, director Denis Villeneuve’s jaw-droppingly stunning epic that became an instant sci-fi classic. Every minute of this nearly three-hour-long adventure was a spectacle, making it the clear winner in our books.
Catching up with the filmmaker recently over Zoom, he beams at the news that we have named it our movie of the year, clearly moved by the sentiment. Speaking to GamesRadar+, a humble Villeneuve is keen to share the love: “I’m moved to hear that. It’s a beautiful compliment to hear that the team enjoyed the film and thank you for taking the time to watch the movie on the big screen. That means a lot to me. Making movies is a tremendous amount of work and so, that being appreciated means the world. Honestly, a big thank you and a big hug to you and the team.”
And it isn’t just here at GamesRadar+ that Dune: Part Two was a hit, as it earned countless five-star reviews and was a sensation at the box office. But why has this adaptation of a story from the ’60s resonated so well with global audiences? For Villeneuve, he believes it’s because this tale has never been more timely: “Frank Herbert was inspired in the ’60s by the impact of colonialism, the destruction of natural resources, and the danger of blending religion with politics. All of those topics have sadly become more prominent over time. In a way, the novel is kind of a prophetic book and it’s one of the reasons as I was growing up, I kept going back to it, feeling that it was more sadly relevant. I think a lot of ideas resonate, particularly with the youth today, about having a responsibility to our world.”
She becomes our moral compass. It was therefore very important to finish the movie on Chani as that’s our angle, our take.
Whilst that all goes back to Herbert’s seminal 1965 novel Dune, Villeneuve does reframe the narrative in this sequel, creating an expanded role for Zendaya’s rebellious warrior Chani. Although Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides is our lead character, Dune: Part Two is as much Chani’s story as it is his, as we see through her eyes the dangerous potential of the Lisan al-Gaib. In fact, the movie doesn’t end on a triumphant note with Paul standing tall, as the last scene sees Chani alone in the desert, left furious and completely heartbroken. As we look at her face we can feel all of that pain, disappointment, and fear – mainly thanks to Zendaya’s incredible performance. And while it is a disquieting note to end on, it’s a brilliant one too.
That last shot is easily one of the best scenes in the movie, which is something Villeneuve wholeheartedly agrees with simply stating: “It’s one of my favorite shots. I did that shot and knew I had a movie.” However, deciding to conclude the film like this was a risky move but for Villeneuve, it was the only way to truly honor author Herbert’s real intentions. As he explains: “The idea was there right at the start when we started to write this adaptation. It all came from the knowledge that Frank Herbert was disappointed by the way some people perceived the first book, thinking that it was a celebration of Paul Atreides. Herbert himself wanted to correct this perception, because he wanted it to be a warning about messianic figures, charismatic figures, people who use religion as a form of power. So, he wrote a second book called Dune Messiah.”
Villeneuve continues: “Knowing that, we tried to respect his early ideas of doing a cautionary tale, making sure that this will be perceived by the audience. We had this idea of transforming Chani. In the book she’s in the shadow of Paul, but we wanted to give Chani her own agenda here, her own beliefs, her own tale. She has a different view of the world from Paul. So, the movie was structured around their relationship, then at the start of the third act we embrace Chani’s perspective more. And from her perspective, we can see where Paul deviates from his path, becoming something he was afraid to become. She becomes our moral compass. It was therefore very important to finish the movie on Chani as that’s our angle, our take.”
Coming together
Naturally, with awards season beginning there is already a lot of Oscar buzz surrounding Dune: Part Two. In fact, arguably this hype started the moment the film was screened to critics. So much so star Josh Brolin recently stated that he will “quit acting” if Villeneuve isn’t nominated for Best Director at the upcoming Academy Awards. Laughing, the filmmaker is quick to emphasize that he has no intention to let that happen: “That gives me a tremendous amount of responsibility, putting all of that on my shoulders. Thanks Josh, that’s embarrassing! I mean, if Josh does decide to quit acting, it will then be my responsibility to fight him on it!”
Despite the jokes, it’s clear that being nominated for an Oscar for Dune: Part Two would mean the world to Villeneuve – let alone winning one. Of course, he has been nominated thrice before but has yet to take home the golden statue. He already feels honored to be included in the conversation but states he never set out to make this film, or any movie he directs, an awards contender: “It’s nice to be in the conversation, the movie came out in March and is still in the minds and hearts of people. The fact that they are considering it for Academy Awards is the highest compliment. I’m not making movies for awards though, you can’t plan these things and I take nothing for granted. I’ll see what happened but I’m honored that people are considering it and talking about it.”
They had a big task on their shoulders bringing the humanity the movie needed to land. I kept saying to my crew, if the audience doesn’t believe in Paul and Chani’s love story, there’s no movie.
Whether it is nominated for Oscars or not, Villeneuve is “very proud” of Dune: Part Two – as he should be. Reflecting on the astonishing achievement, the director notes that the aspect he is most proud of is his cast, who he states ground this sci-fi epic: “Timothée [Chalamet], Zendaya, Austin [Butler], Florence [Pugh], Josh [Brolin], Stellan [Skarsgård], everybody really… all the actors. They had a big task on their shoulders bringing the humanity the movie needed to land. I kept saying to my crew, if the audience doesn’t believe in Paul and Chani’s love story, there’s no movie. I love how committed they were and worked hard to make this happen.”
Continuing, Villeneuve also praises his cinematographer Greig Fraser for how this world was vividly brought to life through the visuals: “I’m also very proud of how the movie looks, the world that has been built, and the way that Greig shot it. I’m proud of my team. I’m a blessed director who works with great artists and I’m pinching myself that I had a chance to work with them.” It’s cheesy but it’s true – teamwork really does make the dream work.
Creative fulfillment
Although Dune: Part Two was crowned our best movie of the year, 2024 has undoubtedly been a fantastic one for cinema. And hey, that’s not just us here at GamesRadar+ saying that, as Villeneuve himself agrees. The question is then – what are some of Villeneuve’s favorite films from 2024?
The filmmaker admits that he still has some catching up to do, but his stand-outs are an eclectic mix that range from a musical crime drama to a post-war epic about a Holocaust survivor. As Villeneuve tells us: “I really loved Jacques Audiard’s Emilia Perez. I thought that it was very original and inspiring. Jacques Audiard’s movies always give me a boost of energy, he’s one of our best filmmakers. I also loved The Brutalist by director Brady Corbet and Nickel Boys [RaMell Ross] too, as well as Conclave by Edward Berger.
“It’s been a great year. I’m impressed by many films this year, I just mentioned these ones and I haven’t seen everything yet. Oh, I also loved Queer by Luca Guadagnino which I thought was very inspiring. Daniel Craig gave an incredible performance.” So, take notes for your own watch list!
I’m in a very creative period of my life right now, writing a lot, which I absolutely enjoy. But when the projects are not out of the womb yet, they are vulnerable. And I want to protect them.
As for what cinematic treats Villeneuve will next bring to audiences, he has several projects in the works including historical epic Cleopatra, sci-fi thriller Rendezvous With Rama, and a currently unnamed drama about an impending nuclear conflict. And then of course, there is the upcoming sequel Dune Messiah which according to the man himself, will be the last movie in the franchise helmed by Villeneuve.
It’s clearly a busy time then for the director, who is hesitant to discuss what audiences can expect from these movies, wanting to shield them from the world whilst they are in the early stages of development. However, Villeneuve is keen to emphasize that despite his hectic schedule, he is finding himself being very fulfilled by working on these various projects.
He concludes: “I’m writing for a few projects and I’m in a very creative period of my life right now, writing a lot, which I absolutely enjoy. But when the projects are not out of the womb yet, they are vulnerable. And I want to protect them.” Keep your eyes peeled then for what will come next from Villeneuve as it’s sure to be something exciting.
Dune: Part Two is available to stream now on Max in the US and Sky/Now in the UK. For more on the movie, check out our interview from earlier this year with star Zendaya about Chani’s journey, as well as with Stellan Skarsgard about returning as the villainous Baron Harkonnen.
You can also read our list of the best games of 2024 too.