Timothée Chalamet with his face covered as Paul Atreides in Dune Part Two
Dune: Part Two editor Joe Walker explains why the sequel cut out a character played by Tim Blake Nelson. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the sequel to 2021’s Dune continues the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he faces off against the Harkonnens on the planet of Arrakis. The Dune: Part Two cast features a number of familiar faces and newcomers, but Stephen McKinley Henderson’s Thufir Hawat and an unknown character played by Nelson both didn’t make the final cut.

In a recent interview with The Wrap, Walker explains why Nelson’s character was cut from Dune: Part Two, revealing that it was ultimately in the interest of the movie’s story. According to the editor, sometimes these types of difficult decisions need to be made in order to make the audience’s experience as strong as possible. Check out Walker’s comment below:

None of those decisions are made lightly. I mean, it’s torture. Especially for Denis, somebody who nurtures his talent so much. Everything is to try and keep as many of the ingredients in play. But there comes a time where you have to balance the momentum of a story and the audience’s journey. And sometimes, unfortunately, it’s not just actors, sometimes it’s a shot that’s taken them months to plan and days to execute, and it’s done with a heavy heart. I learned that a long time ago that it has to be story-first, always.

Tim Blake Nelson’s Probable Dune: Part 2 Role Explained

Why The Frank Herbert Character Didn’t Make The Final Cut

Austin Butler as Feyd speaks to Lea Seydoux as Lady Margot as they get close in Dune 2

While McKinley would have returned as Hawat, a role he played in the first movie, Nelson’s cut Dune: Part Two role was never revealed. The source material from author Frank Herbert, however, makes clear that the actor was probably going to be playing Count Hasimir Fenring. Fenring plays a relatively minor role in the book, serving as a close ally to Emperor Shaddam IV.

While Fenring gets a few standout moments in the novel, it’s ultimately not surprising that he was cut from the film. Fenring is the husband to Lady Jessica, a role played in Dune: Part Two by Léa Seydoux, and she is arguably the more compelling character. Both characters are interested in assessing Feyd-Rautha, the Harkonnen heir, with Lady Margot attempting to retrieve his genetic material for the Bene Gesserit breeding program, while Fenring is assessing his suitability as Harkonnen heir. Instead, the film simplifies this part of the book by only focusing on Lady Margot’s task.

With a Dune: Part Three now confirmed, there is a possibility that Nelson’s character could finally make an appearance. Unfortunately, however, since he doesn’t appear in the second film and isn’t really a part of the story of Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, it’s unlikely he’ll be shoehorned into the narrative. While it undoubtedly would have been interesting to see Nelson’s character in Dune: Part Two, Walker’s latest comment affirms that the decision was made to make the sequel’s story as strong as possible.