‘Dune’ Director Denis Villeneuve Breaks Down a Scene | Vanity Fair
In this episode of “Notes on a Scene,” ‘Dune’ director Denis Villeneuve breaks down the scene where Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) is challenged to a test, the Gom Jabbar, to see if his humanity will overcomes his animal impulses. A poisoned needle is held to his neck to incentivize him to complete the test. Denis explains how he built such a tense scene with the layering of an ancient aesthetic and visual effects.
See DUNE in theaters beginning Friday, October 22.
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@sjt4311
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
At what point is villeneuve in the goat conversation?
@TheFlemishNut
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
note to Vanity Fair:
Add black bars when showing movie scenes!!!
@howthewestwaswon1890
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Star Wars of this generation. My favorite sci-fi trilogy already.
@PHONICSmossy44
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
16:34 this is how real art is made. It's riskier but the more you try to please everyone, the more interpretations are watered down.
@frapulos5125
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
I love his humility
@TrentTube
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Incredible filmmaker. I love that he read the book at 14 and kept going back to the source during the creative process.
@TheQuota2001
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Last chance to see this in IMAX this year I already got nyc tickets. This director is a genius he pulled this off! Dune is an impossible book. This director made the impossible very possible!
Tell Timothy shut his mouth closed until the movie comes out don’t mess this up!!
@TheQuota2001
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
❤❤❤❤
@Lienhardismus
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
masterful craftsmanship of all people involved
@Bakumatsu1
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
garbage subtitles
@hameed
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
How cool is it to read an iconic book at 14 then get to direct a film adaptation as an adult? Incredible and well-deserved
@alaskaceleste
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
What he did with Dune is absolutely incredible
@el_chico1313
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
can we please have this guy directing star wars?
@dal.890
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
I feel like I'm the only person who likes Dune 1 better. Parts of Dune 2 just make me cringe. But visually and sonically it's obviously a masterpiece.
@filipasbergmontgomery4007
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
We are so lucky he got to fulffil his dream since age 13, you can really tell he’s thought about each shot for years. Truly a masterpiece
@stelladelfina
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
I love every detail!
@PaddyRoon7
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Me before watching: 17 mins, ehh, fine, looks interesting
Me after watching: Why does it sound like he's wrapping up when it's only been 5 mins
@TheNervousnation
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
You have fought well, Denis.
@YannickOkpara-d5l
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
My bet: he's not quite satisfied with the Jamis fight scene – which is an epic scene, but it's even more interesting in the book. I think the same about the Feyd Rautha vs Atreides prisoner in the arena scene.
@aka9720
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Well, it is packed with CGI and has nothing more to offer… but yes HOORAY!!! he focked up this and no punishment for this…
@hungreebear
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
everytime i watch clips or the full movie…i get goosebumps
@JohnProut88
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
jfc i wish this guy would direct everything for the rest of this saga
@sergonioradze
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Rebecca Fergusson is way too hysterical in this scene, Francesa Annis was much more adequate. In general Francesca Annis is a better Jessica than Fergusson. However, after watching this video I realize that her being bad in this particular scene is actually his fault, he tells the story of how he actually directed her to be hysterical.
@issacwasabi2
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
no
@zeynepsudea8211
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Biz senden razıyız
@estebanclouthier8521
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
All this little details explained here are not for the whole public (they pass unnoticed by almost everyone), they are just for those who pay attention.
@neelsolanki5840
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
The reason denis is my favourite director
Notice how he always trying to make us feel something which makes these fiction worlds so humane
And he ALWAYS Always puts the world above the character to show the beauty and horror of what we'll go into
@hammericesickle
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
I almost never use the word "genius" but Denis Villeneuve clearly deserves the label.
@drdrdr-c8w
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
IL est hyper content de ce qu'il a fait, lui alors 🤣. et nous aussi ! Franchement, j'ai adoré DUNE quand j'étais petite, et je trouve que les films sont encore mieux que ce que j'imaginais !
@MrTBSC
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
sir, i think i can say without a doubt that the two movies so far HAVE delivered, and i'm curiously looking forward to part 3
@goldenlover2370
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Amazing and fascinating exposition. More, please!
@FrancisSkodzinski
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Overall color scheme for the scene is one of darkness Only two tones, I noticed he does that to every scene in the whole movie
@AleaKat
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
The box scene is intense but that tent scene absolutely rocked me. So intense!
@AleaKat
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
I’m gonna need a box set with directors commentary
@user-cu6iu8kr1v
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
The absolute goat of modern sc-fi
@nope-yg5cf
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
They gotta re-release in Dolby Atmos/IMAX again!!!
@RodolfoMAlmeida
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Genius!
@thudar9
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Dune was awful – the second part had a few redeeming qualities – but basically the same hot mess. The greatest sci fi story ever written required an adaptation with the care, and depth of the Godfather. Overall I give it a D minus.
@A.Persons
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
fascinating discussing the scene
@noahnicholas3468
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Sad I didn’t know he was French :/
@TheDAZ1001
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Film is a masterpiece.
@DRB-Octane
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
the white background is bad
@ArmaVeloce
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
I know that Dennis will not see this comment but I wish I could tell him that his adaptation of Dune is the best film made so far in my life. Truly amazing. I watched the second film in the theatre three times!
@niklastorshagen6365
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
My all-time favourite director. He haven't done one bad movie
@lucasrosa3781
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Please, give us the extended version of dune 1 and 2
@xhappybunnyx
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
Would I watch Dune slowly, scene by scene with him explaining every shot for several minutes? Yes.
@Николай-г5т6ч
May 4, 2026 at 3:40 am
The idea of switching between a white background behind the director and a very dark scene is brilliant. My eyes send their best regards to the author of this masterpiece. Special thanks for the freaking white stripes at the top and bottom.