As the United Arab Emirates prepares for its release. Dune: Part 2” director Denis Villeneuve has opened up about his experience filming in the Emirates.
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Dune: Part 2 Director Denis Villeneuve praised the Abu Dhabi desert as an “influence” on his new film.
Dune: Part 2is a direct sequel to the 2021 film. Dune: Part 1Major scenes were filmed in 2022 in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
Arrakis or Abu Dhabi? Dune: Part 2 opens in theaters this weekend!
Check out the amazing experiences the cast had during their two-day visit to Abu Dhabi, where many of their scenes were filmed 🎬#AbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/4GlZf4G0SM
— Experience Abu Dhabi (@VisitAbuDhabi) February 26, 2024
In a recent interview with The National, the director spoke about filming in the Emirates. Denis Villeneuve visited the UAE capital with the cast of his new sci-fi blockbuster to photograph the dune landscapes that form the basis of the film.
“Did that influence the way we shot the movie? Amazing,” he said. “The main reason I came here was to get inspiration directly from the desert.”
Villeneuve, who recently visited Abu Dhabi for the Middle East premiere of his new film, added: “You can’t make the shots we made on the soundstage in our backyard.” He continued, “I designed every shot to fit the landscape.”
Film director Denis Villeneuve, producer Tanya Lapointe, and stars Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista visit the largest sandworm installation ever built in Abu Dhabi’s iconic desert dunes.
This gigantic creature is an iconic symbol of director Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic vision and… pic.twitter.com/Hzj0QpemMR
— AD Film Commission (@filmabudhabi) February 19, 2024
Dune: Part 2 director Denis Villeneuve, producer Tanya Lapointe and star Josh Brolin made a special stop to visit the cockpit of one of the film’s huge sets, the Spice Harvester, also known as the Crawler. Masu. WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by… pic.twitter.com/Q3IGCEfT2i
— AD Film Commission (@filmabudhabi) February 20, 2024
Villeneuve also revealed plans to return to the UAE for the third installment of his upcoming film. “It’s a very unique desert,” he added. “It’s not only fantastically beautiful, but you can feel the power of nature.” He praised the desert, continuing, “This landscape has a presence that you can’t find anywhere else.”
The director was visiting the UAE capital along with actors Josh Brolin and Dave Bautista. The trio walked the red carpet with Tanya Lapointe, the film’s producer and the spouse of director Denis Villeneuve, on February 18, 2024 at Vox Cinemas in Galleria Mall, Abu Dhabi.
Dune: Part 2 The film, which also stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh, is scheduled to be released in the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon on Thursday, February 29, 2024. The film is scheduled to be released in the wider Middle East region on April 11, 2024.
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Cover image source: twitter
