Timothee Chalamet’s Dune 2 Monologue Could Have Been Completely Different

One of the trademark elements of the “Dune” movies is Frank Herbert’s ability to world build (or, more accurately, universe build). Let’s not take points away from Denis Villeneuve, either. The director of the two-part box office-breaking “Dune” adaptation created an incredible iteration of a sci-fi setting that has enthralled fans for decades. Villeneuve delivered so well that “Dune: Part Two” already ranks 54th on IMDB’s top 250 movies of all time list.

One element of “Dune” that gives it that gritty realism is the Fremen culture, which comes replete with traditions, habits, and even its own language. That native tongue is called Chakobsa, and since the entire “Dune” saga takes place in the distant future of our own human existence, the isolated desert lingua clearly draws inspiration from real-life languages, including Arabic and languages from the peoples of the Caucasus.

Indeed, one of the best moments in “Dune: Part Two” is when Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) gives a rousing speech to unify and lead the Fremen against his enemies in a massive, red-hot, worm-powered assault. The scene is spine-chilling, and it makes you want to jump through the screen, don a stillsuit, and join in the attack on the Emperor’s Sardaukar legions.

The wild thing, though? We came precariously close to never getting that Chakobsa-infused oration.

In a 2024 interview with Collider, Chalamet talked about his experience delivering a monologue in a convincing way in the Fremen language. He started by saying he found the whole thing thrilling even as he felt the pressure to match the quality of work his fellow actors were doing. When the time came to film his messianic speech, he gave it his all (clearly). In his own words:

“I’m thinking, ‘Now I gotta step up to the plate here.’ It’s incredibly affirming and all the more bizarre to do it in a language that doesn’t exist, and have it memorized in English, too. We did it in English, as well, but then [Villeneuve] chose the Chakobsa, which I liked. I thought that was so much cooler, even if it’s subtitled. I think it’s just a stronger choice.”

The thought of Paul Atreides stirring up a Fremen crowd with English words is, well, not that bad. But there’s no doubt that Paul speaking the same words in the tongue of the Fremen makes it feel like we’re witnessing something that’s genuinely happening on a faraway planet in the very distant future.

For those of you in need of a quick jog of the ol’ memory, Paul’s monologue is multiple minutes long and takes place as he attempts to overrule Fremen tradition and seize control of the entire group as their long-awaited messiah. As he enters the room where he will soon address the Fremen masses, there’s an initial volley of Chakobsa when he confronts the leader of the council’s gentle demand that he duel and kill Stilgar (Javier Bardem) to be able to speak. In response, Paul says, “Do you smash a knife before battle?”

From there, he’s off to the races, diving in with a poke in the eye to every proud Fremen warrior with the line, “There is no one in this room who can stand against me.” He goes on to say he is the one their mothers warned them about and that they should fear this moment. From there, he starts to prophesize about lost grandmothers with gruesome facial wounds and troubling nightmares. (Paul has some mind-boggling powers that only intensify as the story progresses.)

As he goes along, we get an occasional line in English, which is a helpful touch to avoid subtitle exhaustion in the emotionally-laced sequence. He reveals the Fremen name for Arrakis (which also happens to double as the name of the movie), calls himself the “Voice from the Outer World,” and talks about leading the Fremen to a Green Paradise. The shocked onlookers call him the Lisan al Gaib (Fremen for Voice of the outer World) and quickly fall in line — no doubt in part because he’s speaking to the fiercely proud group in convincing fashion in their own tongue.