For Dune: Part Two, production designer Patrice Vermette faced the exciting challenge of building upon the visually stunning world he created for the first film. Director Denis Villeneuve emphasized the need for novelty, urging Vermette to ensure audiences would be transported to entirely new realms. As Vermette explained to AD, the mandate was clear: “We don’t want to repeat any sets, everything needs to be new. Nobody wants to go to the same places.” This sequel delves deeper into the Dune universe, showcasing diverse cultures and aesthetics with greater nuance. Vermette’s mission involved revitalizing the iconic desert landscapes, constructing vast new sets tailored to each culture, and discovering fresh filming locations that would amplify the narrative’s impact.
Let’s uncover the specific places that served as the backdrop for the breathtaking scenes in Dune: Part Two.
Altivole, Italy: The Serene Imperial Gardens
The tranquil Imperial Gardens of the planet Kaitain in Dune: Part Two were brought to life at the Brion tomb in Altivole, Italy.
When Patrice Vermette first engaged with the script for Dune: Part Two, a distinct vision emerged for the gardens of Kaitain, the home world of Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken). His immediate inspiration was the Brion tomb, a post-modernist masterpiece located in Altivole, a quaint Italian town with a population of around 7,000. This cemetery, designed by the renowned architect Carlo Scarpa, had been a source of inspiration for Vermette for over three decades. Scarpa’s architectural language had previously influenced Vermette’s designs for Caladan and Arakeen in Dune: Part One, making the Brion tomb a conceptually resonant location.
Upon sharing photographs of the Brion tomb with Denis Villeneuve, the director’s interest was immediately piqued. However, securing permission to film at the location presented an initial hurdle. The Brion tomb is a private cemetery belonging to the Brion family, and they had never before granted filming requests. Fortuitously, it was discovered that a member of the Brion family was an admirer of Dune: Part One. This connection proved decisive, and approval was granted. The exterior scenes depicting Kaitain’s gardens were filmed within the cemetery grounds. Furthermore, the chapel within the cemetery served as the setting for early interior scenes on Kaitain. For later interior sequences set on Kaitain, soundstages in Budapest were utilized for set construction. The selection of the Brion tomb not only provided a visually striking and unique location but also grounded the Imperial Gardens in a real-world architectural marvel, adding depth and authenticity to the film’s visual tapestry.
Namibia: Vision of a Green Arrakis
A fleeting yet impactful scene in Dune: Part Two unfolds in Namibia, presenting a vision of Arrakis transformed into a lush, water-rich planet in the future. “Denis always dreamed of having a place where the ocean meets the sand dunes,” Vermette recounted. “To my knowledge, you find that in Qatar and Namibia. For Qatar, you need to wait for high tides. In Namibia, it’s like a wall. It’s the desert and then a drop to the waves, and I think that’s what the movie needed for that vision.”
Despite its brevity, this Namibian scene has become one of the most discussed moments in the film, primarily due to the surprise appearance of Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides. Leading up to the movie’s release, Taylor-Joy’s involvement was shrouded in secrecy; her name was deliberately omitted from the closing credits, as reported by EW. Vermette described the clandestine nature of filming this scene: “Very few of us went [to Namibia], and we signed with our blood the fact that Anya Taylor Joy was in the plane with us. Even my kids didn’t know,” highlighting the extreme measures taken to preserve the surprise. Namibia’s dramatic coastline, where towering sand dunes meet the Atlantic Ocean, provided the perfect visual contrast to the arid Arrakis audiences are familiar with. This location effectively conveyed Villeneuve’s vision of a future where water has transformed the desert planet, offering a powerful and hopeful glimpse into Arrakis’s potential.
United Arab Emirates and Jordan: The Sands of Arrakis
While not explicitly detailed in the text of the original article, it’s important to acknowledge that, like Dune: Part One, Dune: Part Two also filmed extensively in the deserts of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan. These locations are synonymous with the desert planet Arrakis and provided the vast, otherworldly landscapes crucial to the Dune saga.
The sweeping sand dunes and expansive desert vistas of the UAE and Jordan have become iconic representations of Arrakis in Villeneuve’s Dune films. These locations offer a natural and authentic backdrop that is nearly impossible to replicate on soundstages. The harsh beauty and immense scale of these deserts contribute significantly to the immersive and believable world of Dune. While the article focuses on the newer locations for Part Two, acknowledging the continued use of the UAE and Jordan provides a more complete picture of where Dune: Part Two was filmed, reinforcing the established visual identity of Arrakis. These locations, combined with the unique settings in Italy and Namibia, demonstrate the global scale and meticulous location scouting that contributed to the breathtaking visuals of Dune: Part Two.
