J.C. Hotchkiss
Another day, another Dune casting announcement, as it has now been announced that Denis Villeneuve has found his Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Truthsayer to the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. That mouthful of a name will be played by the wonderful Charlotte Rampling (OBE).
For those of you not versed in the ways of the Bene Gesserit, the Reverend Mother is the one who comes to the House of Atreides to test the Lady Jessica’s (Rebecca Ferguson) son, Paul (Timothée Chalamet) to see if he could be the prophesied Kwisatz Haderach. In David Lynch’s 1984 version, the role was played by Siân Phillips. Phillips had a commanding voice and a rather foreboding presence, so I do hope that Rampling can invoke the same feelings in this new incarnation of the Herbert novel.
Filming is said to begin this year, which would put a timeline of 2020 for the film to premiere, Although, a lot rides on casting the rest of roles and how quickly they are cast to see if that comes to fruition. Yet to be announced are Chani (Paul’s love interest), Feyd-Rautha (famously played by Sting), and Duke Leto Atreides (played by Jürgen Prochnow in Lynch’s Dune). I’m crossing my fingers that Villeneuve listens to fans of the original and casts Kyle MacLachlan as Duke Leto—just a small nod to the original and to Lynch, also bringing it full circle. Also because more Kyle on screen would make many of us, especially me, very happy.
What do you think of the casting decisions thus far? Who would you like to see in the roles still left to cast? Comment below or on our Twitter and Facebook page.
