Stellan Skarsgard has reportedly been cast as the main villain, Baron Harkonnen, in the upcoming new adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” at Legendary Pictures.
Set in the distant future, the story follows Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) whose noble family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only planet capable of producing the highly valuable resource known as the spice melange which allows for space travel, control of Arrakis is highly contested amongst the noble families.
When the Atreides are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature as a betrayed Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s control of Arrakis. Rebecca Ferguson was in talks to play Paul’s mother Lady Jessica.
Skarsgard’s Harkonnen is the head of one of the great houses, a family that previously ruled Arrakis and has a long hatred of the Atreides. He plots with the galactic emperor to destroy the Atreides. He is also the uncle to a brutish character Rabban (Dave Bautista).
The property has been twice translated to the screen before – by David Lynch in a 1985 film, and in a Syfy mini-series in 2000. Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts wrote the script for the new take which may begin filming as soon as next year.
Source: Heat Vision
