Steven Spielberg had nothing however reward for “Dune: Half Two” whereas interviewing Denis Villeneuve on the newest episode of the DGA’s “Director’s Reduce” podcast. The Oscar winner instructed Villeneuve that “you’ve gotten made one of the vital good science-fiction movies I’ve ever seen,” which is excessive reward coming from the mastermind behind “E.T: Further Terrestrial” and “Shut Encounters of the Third Type.” And that wasn’t the one reward Spielberg bestowed upon the “Dune” director.

“It’s an honor for me to take a seat right here and discuss to you,” Spielberg stated. “Let me begin by saying there are filmmakers who’re the builders of worlds. It’s not a protracted listing and we all know who plenty of them are. Beginning with [Georges] Méliès and Disney and Kubrick, George Lucas. Ray Harryhausen I embody in that listing. Fellini constructed his personal worlds. Tim Burton. Clearly Wes Anderson, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, Guillermo del Toro. The listing goes on however it’s not that lengthy of a listing, and I deeply, fervently consider that you’re one in all its latest members.”

Villeneuve sounded gobsmacked over receiving such a praise from one of many best administrators of all time. Spielberg referred to as out the scene in “Dune: Half Two” the place Paul rides a sandworm for the primary time as a notable triumph .

“This can be a desert-loving story, however for such a desert-loving movie there’s such a craving for water on this film,” Spielberg stated. “For all of the sand you’ve gotten on this movie, it’s actually about water. The sacred waters which might be craving for inexperienced meadows and the blue water of life. You movie the desert to resemble an ocean, a sea. The sandworms had been like sea serpents. And that scene browsing the sandworms is among the best issues I’ve ever seen. Ever! However you made the desert seem like a liquid.”

Selection beforehand reported that it took Villeneuve 44 days to shoot the sandworm driving scene. The crew constructed the worm right into a 90-foot-long by 24-foot-wide set piece. The movie’s cinematographer, Greig Fraser, remembered studying the script and pondering: “How on earth are we going to try this?”

“Within the ebook, Paul rides a sandworm, and if we weren’t cautious, it may very well be an odd idea,” Fraser stated. “So we made positive we had been so cautious [that] the viewers by no means had an idea suspending their disbelief.”

“Dune: Half Two” has proved to be a success with critics and audiences. The movie is nearing $240 million on the home field workplace and has surpassed $570 million worldwide. The film continues to play in theaters nationwide from Warner Bros.

Take heed to Spielberg and Villeneuve’s full dialog on the DGA’s “Director’s Reduce” podcast right here.