Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Movie Targets Timothée Chalamet For Lead Role

Call Me By Your Name and Interstellar actor Timothée Chalamet is about to punch his ticket to Arrakis – the desert planet better known as Dune.

Per Deadline, Chalamet is now in final talks to headline the sci-fi epic for Legendary and director Denis Villeneuve, who’s coming hot off the one-two punch of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049. Word is Villeneuve singled out Dune as his one true follow-up to 2049, turning down the likes of Bond 25 in the process – a sequel that would ultimately fall into the hands of Danny Boyle.

And Timothée Chalamet? He’s said to be negotiating for the lead role in Dune, which, if Villeneuve and Eric Roth hue closely to Frank Herbert’s seminal classic, likely involves young nobleman Paul Atreides, whose family “assumes control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, jurisdiction over Arrakis is contested among competing noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature, as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s reign.”

A far-future epic with themes of political meddling and warring dynasties… where do we sign up? At the moment, Timothée Chalamet is the only actor circling Dune at Legendary – that we know of, mind you – but we imagine his potential casting will trigger a domino effect, as Denis Villeneuve finally zeros in on his ensemble cast.

It’s being pitched as Game of Thrones meets Star Wars, and with a director of Villeneuve’s caliber behind the wheel, Dune is on the verge of becoming one of the most hotly-anticipated projects currently in the works. More on this sci-fi epic as it begins to coalesce.