Dune: Dave Bautista Says He Was “Blown Away” When Reading the Script

The first images and trailer for Dune put its impressive scope and scale on display, though star Dave Bautista recently recalled how, just by reading the film’s script, he was completely “blown away” by the adventure. Bautista previously collaborated with Dune director Denis Villeneuve on Blade Runner 2049, with the actor going on to note how impressively crafted the scripts for such films were, even when they were conveying futuristic and fantastical worlds. The actor is playing Glossu Rabban Harkonnen in the new film, while Paul Smith played the role in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of the Frank Herbert novel. Dune is currently slated to hit theaters and HBO Max on October 1st.

“I was blown away [by the script]. I was blown away,” Bautista shared with Collider. “It’s weird, because when I read Blade Runner, when I read Dune, it’s hard for me to know what their visions are. Especially what Denis’ vision is, because the worlds they create are just so enormous. I don’t think I could ever direct a film like that. My talent would lie in a very contained drama, that’s what I would like to do, that’s what I aspire to do. But creating these — even like James [Gunn] — these universes, these galaxies, they’re just so far over my head. So I read it and thought it was beautiful, I was emotionally invested in the script and the characters, but I don’t think my imagination stretches that far to create these worlds.”

Even before getting involved in the project officially, Bautista had been keeping an eye on the development of Dune, hoping he could get involved, when it ended up being Villeneuve who reached out to him.

“We tracked that movie for months because I wanted to be a part of it so bad,” the actor admitted. “I never reached out, because I don’t want to be that guy, like ‘Hey, Denis, is there a part for me?’ I never wanted to be that guy. But he actually called me, he didn’t say anything like ‘so there’s this part…’ He just straight up asked me if I would come and play this part. I was so taken aback I didn’t even know what to say, except for, obviously, ‘yes.’”

He continued, “Moments like that really gauge how far I’ve come, as an actor. There’s a lot of pride in it for me that a director like Denis would call like that and offer me a role in a film that I know is going to be enormous. Because people have been waiting for this for years and years and years. And people are so passionate about the novels. So for him to offer me such an integral part of this film, for me, it was a personal statement. I can’t purchase that type of emotion, that sense of pride. These are the few moments in life where I get that, where I feel like my life is worth something, I did something with my life. My life means something.”

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The new Dune is slated to hit theaters and HBO Max on October 1st.

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