Dune: Part Two" premiere stirs excitement despite 'unbearable' on‑set heat, says Austin Butler

Over the last two weeks, an intense promotional campaign for the second installment of the worldwide hit has been in full swing. As a reminder, Villeneuve's 2021 film grossed over $400 million. Its star-studded cast is constantly upping the ante with increasingly inventive and occasionally contentious appearances in the media.

The buzz surrounding the premiere has resulted in renewed interest in David Lynch's infamous film from four decades ago, which originally attempted to adapt Frank Herbert's novel for the screen. The initial reviews for the blockbuster are rolling in, and they are overwhelmingly positive. Despite the struggles during its creation, the predicted masterpiece appears to have been realized.

Austin Butler, who became famous for his lead role in Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis", has joined Villeneuve's universe in the sequel. He portrays Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a character that renders him virtually unrecognizable.

In an interview with "Entertainment Weekly", he confessed that the conditions on set were far from ideal. The film was shot in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, where the crew battled against extreme heat.

"It was 110 degrees Fahrenheit [approximately 43 degrees Celsius - author's note]. I was wearing a bald cap and was between two film sets, around 200 feet [approximately 60 meters - author's note] of high grey boxes filled with sand. I felt like I was in a microwave. People were fainting from the heat. And that was just my first week," shared the star of "Lords of the Skies."

The 32-year-old actor also commented on the most significant aspect of crafting his character. Hidden beneath heavy makeup, he concentrated primarily on his character's voice. "Given that he was raised near Baron [Vladimir Harkonnen, played by Stellan Skarsgård - author's note], he would have undoubtedly been highly influenced by him in various ways. This led me to consider how he speaks and how it connects to someone you've perceived as the most powerful figure since childhood and whom you're attempting to emulate," he explained.

"Dune: Part Two" hits theaters on Friday, March 1, 2024.