MOVIE NEWS – Kyle MacLachlan played the original Paul Atreides in David Lynch’s Dune. Now he’s back in the franchise – but not in Villeneuve’s films.

Kyle MacLachlan is finally back in the Dune franchise after 39 years – but not actually in a Denis Villeneuve film. MacLachlan has been a major figure in the Dune franchise since 1984. Many fans had hoped that the actor would get a cameo in one of Villeneuve’s Dune films. However, this has not yet happened, but Kyle MacLachlan has made his big Dune comeback in another form of media.

Kyle MacLachlan has long been a favourite actor of David Lynch, appearing in projects such as Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, but one of his most famous roles was in David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Dune.

MacLachlan played the role of Paul Atreides in the film, the first live-action version of the character. His significant role in the Dune franchise led many viewers to hope that MacLachlan would appear in a new Dune project. Now he has.

Kyle MacLachlan is returning to the world of Dune, not in a movie, but in a Dune parody episode of Futurama season 11. In episode 4 of Futurama season 11, “Parasites Regained”, the Planet Express crew shrinks down and enters Nibbler’s litter box to exterminate some parasitic sandwich worms. The episode is a massive tribute to the Dune, with plenty of Dune Easter eggs and references appearing in a hilarious parody of Futurama.

Although many viewers are hoping to see MacLachlan’s cameo in Dune: Part Two, his appearance in Futurama season 11 actually works better. The reception to David Lynch’s Dune was mostly hostile upon its release. Reminding viewers of the earlier adaptation is probably not the best idea.

While it’s nice to pay homage to previous Dune adaptations, many viewers may not even recognise the cameo, as it’s been nearly four decades since the 1984 release of Dune.

Moreover, cameos are not in line with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films. The Dune and The Dune: Part Two are incredibly well-made and faithful adaptations of Frank Herbert’s original novels. Hopefully, they will be the definitive adaptations of the author’s work. A cameo by an earlier Dune actor would simply not fit this tone. It would take viewers who recognise him out of the film. But Futurama season 11, episode 4, is entirely a Dűne love letter, so the cameo works much better there.

Source: CBR