Timothée Chalamet teases sandworm-riding scene in Dune 2: "The stakes of that moment are huge"

Paul Atreides star Timothée Chalamet says his sandworm-riding scene in the upcoming Dune 2 was "an amazing experience".

"Beyond being an exciting sequence in the movie, it represents a coming of age," Chalamet tells Total Film in our new issue, which features Dune 2 on the cover and is out this Thursday. "It’s where Paul’s supposed prophecy would fall flat, and it would mean his death if he can’t rise to the occasion. So the stakes of that moment are huge, and the doing of it was thrilling. It was industrial fans blowing sand, and a slab of worm was built. It was an amazing experience."

The outrageously dangerous ritual is a rite of passage among the Fremen, and a turning point in Paul’s journey. The sequel sees Paul face a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, as he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

"When you read the book your brain is connecting the dots, but what’s the technique?" director Denis Villeneuve asks. "I needed to show the logic of how to ride a worm, and the danger. But, at the same time, Paul needs to be good! To create that fine balance is fun because, as a filmmaker, I never had the chance to show the birth of a hero."

The sequel features returning cast members Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban Harkonnen, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, and Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica. New additions to the cast include Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot and Christopher Walken as Padyszach Imperator Szaddam IV. Austin Butler plays the new big bad, Feyd-Rautha, who is the nephew and heir of Stellan Skarsgård's Baron Harkonnen.

• Pre-order the Dune 2 issue of Total Film

Dune 2 releases on March 1. You can read more about it, and a whole lot else besides, in the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, February 1. Inside, we have exclusive new images from the film, insight from the cast on a potential Dune 3, and Austin Butler's lowdown on his new villain. Check out the covers below:

Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. You'll get every issue before it's in stores, and you’ll get subscriber-exclusive covers.