The actor, who previously starred in 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', is reportedly in talks to portray villainous Feyd-Rautha in part two of Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel.
- March 11, 2022
AceShowbiz - Austin Butler may soon be on board for a space trip. The actor, who is due for a breakout with his lead role in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Presley biopic, is reportedly wanted for a key villain role in "Dune: Part Two".
Butler is in talks to play Feyd-Rautha, the sadistic nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) and the heir to the Harkonnen empire. The character was famously played by Sting in David Lynch's 1984 adaptation of the novel of the same name.
Butler's surfaces among the potential new additions to the cast for the sequel, which is said to be in the midst of casting three significant roles. The other two parts are Emperor Shaddam IV, the ruler who sent the Atreides family to Arrakis in the first movie, and Princess Irulan Corrino, the emperor's daughter.
Earlier this week, reports emerged that "Black Widow" star Florence Pugh has been eyed to take on the role of Princess Irulan. According to THR, the deal is not sealed just yet because the script is still being written and the actress is waiting for the latest draft to make her final verdict.
Should the deal be sealed, Austin will be joining Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson (II), Zendaya Coleman and Josh Brolin, who are among the returning cast members for the sequel. Denis Villeneuve is set to return as director as well as screenwriter and producer. He co-wrote the script of the first film with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth.
The first "Dune" boasts an all-star cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling and Jason Momoa among others. It received majorly positive reviews and has grossed more than $400 million globally.
Butler has had multiple TV roles, including as James Garrett on "Zoey 101", as James "Wilke" Wilkerson on "Switched at Birth" and as Sebastian Kydd on "The Carrie Diaries". He last appeared in the big screen through Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood", where he starred as Tex Watson, a member of the Manson family. He will next be seen as the King of Rock and Roll himself in "Elvis", which is due out on June 24.
