In a role befitting his iconic status, Christopher Walken has joined the cast of Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part 2 as The Emperor of the Known Universe.
THR reports that the legendary actor, last seen in Ben Stiller's superb Severance, has signed on to play Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV of House Corrino.
This duplicitous ruler sent Paul Atreides and his family to Arrakis in the first movie, all the while plotting their downfall with Baron Harkonnen. In the follow-up, it's said that Shaddam will "terrorize the populace and must contend with the rebellion" that ensues.
A brief synopsis tells us that “Part Two will focus on Paul assembling a massive army of Fremen to combat the ruthless Harkonnen, as he essentially becomes a mythical messiah figure to the inhabitants of Arrakis.”
The studio recently confirmed that Florence Pugh (Black Widow) is locked in as the Emperor's daughter Princess Irulan, with Austin Butler (Elvis) set to play the evil Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. They join returning cast members Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, and Dave Bautista.
Dune: Part 2 is set to hit theaters on Oct. 20, 2023, with production scheduled to commence in Budapest on July 18.
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.