One of the standout moments of the stellar Dune: Part Two is when Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) rides a sandworm.
It was a strong character moment for Paul, seeing him successfully mount a creature that he had previously been fleeing, and it’s visually stunning, to boot, thanks to Canadian director Denis Villeneuve, cinematographer Greig Frazer and co. According to Chalamet, the whole mesmerizing sequence took around three months to shoot, and that’s before you factor in the necessary CGI.
Now, someone has recreated the scene in their own impressive way — without any visual effects or stunt doubles.
In a TikTok video originally posted by user josh.gammon that went viral across the internet, one AMC theatregoer can be seen wearing a signature grey Dune stillsuit and riding a “sandworm.”
Cinema is back pic.twitter.com/Mm2S4dZO7G
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) March 4, 2024
Based on the short video clip, it’s unclear exactly what the makeshift sandworm is made of, but it appears to be some sort of covered motorized tube. The cosplayer has even secured himself onto the contraption with two ice axe-like hooks, just like Paul does in the film.
Naturally, the TikToker added composer Hans Zimmer’s commanding “Gom Jabbar” theme to the video just to make it hit even more.
Dune: Part Two opened in theatres on March 1st to rave reviews and a strong box office start, which bodes well for Villeneuve’s hopes to make a third film based on Dune Messiah.
In the meantime, Canadians can see Dune: Part Two at Cineplex and Landmark, although you’ll be slapped with increased ticket costs if you do. It’s also worth noting that the viral NSFW sandworm popcorn buckets are hard to find at this point, so you may need to turn to scalpers on Facebook Marketplace if you’re interested.
Image credit: Warner Bros.
