Dune: Part Two Star Admits They Are “Heartbroken” to Have Been Cut Out of Sequel

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two arguably has the most impressive ensemble cast of a film this year, bringing together a variety of stars to adapt the second half of Frank Herbert’s iconic novel, but even with its extended run time, Villeneuve ended up cutting Tim Blake Nelson from the theatrical cut. The actor recently reflected on how he was “heartbroken” to have been left out of the film, though also admits that there are “no hard feelings” about the experience and that he hopes to reunite with Villeneuve on a project further down the line. Dune: Part Two is in theaters now.

“I don’t think I’m at liberty to say what the scene was. I’d leave that to Denis if he wants to talk about it,” Nelson revealed to MovieWeb about his time on the project. “I had a great time over there shooting it. And then he had to cut it because he thought the movie was too long. And I am heartbroken over that, but there’s no hard feelings. I loved it, and I can’t wait to do something else with him and we certainly plan to do that.”

Ahead of the film’s release, the role that Nelson was set to play had been kept under wraps, so it has yet to officially be confirmed who he would have been playing, though a number of theories centered around him playing Count Fenring, a close advisor of Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam. With the final film omitting that character entirely, the odds seem even better that this was the role Nelson was fulfilling. Instead, Villeneuve utilized Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan and Léa Seydoux’s Lady Margot to serve as the Emperor’s confidants, seemingly making the role of Fenring a bit redundant.

Sadly, whatever Nelson’s role might have been, we’ll likely never see that footage, as Villeneuve previously explained that once he cuts scenes from a film, he doesn’t like releasing them as deleted scenes.

“I’m a strong believer that when it’s not in the movie, it’s dead. I kill darlings, and it’s painful for me,” Villeneuve previously shared with Collider. “Sometimes I remove shots and I say, ‘I cannot believe I’m cutting this out.’ I feel like a samurai opening my gut. It’s painful, so I cannot go back after that and create a Frankenstein and try to reanimate things that I killed. It’s too painful. When it’s dead, it’s dead, and it’s dead for a reason. But yes, it is a painful project, but it is my job. The movie prevails. I’m very, I think, severe in the editing room. I’m not thinking about my ego, I’m thinking about the movie.”

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. 

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Léa Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert‘s iconic novel. 

Dune: Part Two is in theaters now.

What do you think of the actor’s remarks? Let us know in the comments!