Résumé
With 2 hours 35 minutes and 2 hours 46 minutes respectively for the first two installments, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga is not limited to short films. The source material for Dune is prolific, to say the least. As series like Harry Potter, The Maze Runner and Twilight prove empirically, it is always difficult to faithfully transpose a book into a film. Directors must choose what to focus on and what to get rid of. One of these choices is to remove secondary characters, who could distract from the main plot, or to add scenes that unnecessarily lengthen the length of the film in the era of three-hour epics.
Sometimes, this is also true between sequels. One character in particular appeared in Dune: Part 1 but did not return in Dune: Part 2, which really saddened director Denis Villeneuve. That character is Thufir Hawat, a trusted protector of House Atreides, played by Stephen McKinley Henderson. While some undisclosed scenes were filmed with him, for the second half of the first and second parts, director Denis Villeneuve ultimately chose to cut them. Here’s everything you need to know about this character and his journey in Villeneuve’s Dune.
Who is Thufir Hawat in the Dune franchise?
Thufir Hawat begins his story in Dune as a Mentat and Master Assassin of House Atreides. Being a Mentat means that he was trained from a young age to work as a human computer and solve problems for his people. More importantly, he was tasked with protecting House Atreides from military attacks, espionage, and more. Additionally, this particular Mentat was tasked with raising young Paul in combat and military problem-solving, making him a significant part of his youth, if not a friend.
As for his appearances in Dune media, Thufir Hawat was of course part of the original novel, which earned him an original drawing. He then appeared in several graphic novel versions, adopting various appearances. He was included in David Lynch’s 1984 film version as a stylized elderly man with lots of facial hair, played by Freddie Jones, where his storyline was carried through to his spectacular death. He was later reprised by Czech actor Jan Vlasák in the often-forgotten 2000 miniseries, where he disappeared after the Siege of Arrakeen. And finally, he appeared in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 1, sporting a distinctive tattoo on his square lower lip.
Why Villeneuve Cut Thufir Hawat From Dune: Part 2
Of course, with a book as dense as Dune, some changes had to be made. In this case, 896 pages had to be translated to the screen, which meant necessary cuts to dialogue, subplots, and even the characters themselves. Of Thufir Hawat, the French director told Screen Crush:
“I was in love with Thufir Hawat. She’s a character I love. But I had to make the bold choice to do a Bene Gesserit adaptation and center the film on that brotherhood. I wish there was more Thufir Hawat. That’s what I would say.”
It’s understandable that the director had to make the painful decision to remove a less central character in favor of others. Thufir Hawat could have continued on the path he took in the book and suffered a heroic death; however, these events could have detracted from the main plot or the Bene Gesserit storyline, which was more important in Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 2.
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It’s also understandable that, given Thufir Hawat’s basic role, his mission was over after the first film. He had trained Paul for his military duties, and since Paul then created his army in the second film, he no longer needed to secure his home (or the one shown on screen). After the siege of Arrakeen, Paul fights alone, no longer needing Thufir Hawat. In this case, as unfortunate as his cut was, it made sense not to include Thufir Hawat further in favor of the other characters’ screen time.
On the other hand, it is a bit odd that this character does not return. Indeed, in the original book, this Mentat is required to work for the Harkonnens after the Siege of Harrakeen. It seems to be a rather central element of the story that a superhuman trained to solve logical problems (like potentially war strategy) is taken hostage to work for the other side. It is particularly odd that he does not return for at least one scene, as the Atreides warrior returns to the gladiator-like arena, and his presence is not contrasted with the corruption of the Harkonnens embodied by Thufir Hawat’s captivity.
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Although he is a charismatic and potentially important character in the Dune saga, Thufir Hawat’s presence could have been too distracting and difficult to include in the other plots explored in this film adaptation of the book. Furthermore, his basic role in the life of the Messiah had already been fulfilled, so he was no longer necessary.
Although he suffers a dramatic and heroic death in the book as well as in earlier on-screen versions of the source material, it didn’t make much sense to include him in Dune: Part 2. All things considered, it may still be nice for fans to know that this removal wasn’t easy on the director, who seemed to love the character. Dune: Part 2 is streaming on Max.
