Dune 2's "Worm Unit" & How It Helped Film Sandworm Riding Scenes Explained By Director

Published Feb 20, 2024

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Summary

Villeneuve utilized a "Worm Unit" in Dune: Part Two, a group of people dedicated to perfecting the sandworm riding scenes.
Sandworms hold symbolic significance for the Fremen on Arrakis, making the riding scenes an important element of the story.
Their realistic portrayal in the film emphasizes Paul Atreides' assimilation with the Fremen and his journey to be seen as their prophet.

Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has revealed the existence of a "Worm Unit" that perfected the movie's highly-anticipated sandworm riding scenes. In the movie, sandworms are giant worms native to Arrakis that Fremen are able to ride on. Promotional material for the film indicates Paul Atreides will be riding on said worms, proving himself as the prophetic Lisan al-Gaib.

Speaking with Dune: Part Two had a "Worm Unit" to develop sandworm riding for the film. Led by the director's wife, producer Tanya Lapointe, the major undertaking was done to ensure the pivotal scenes looked as realistic as possible. Check out what Villeneuve had to say below:

In the book, it’s just written, ‘and then Paul rides the worm,' with no real clues of how a Fremen will actually jump onto a sandworm, this great beast with high speed and tremendous power. So from the worm behavior that we had created in Part One, I had to figure out how a human being could approach that: What is the Fremen technique? What do the maker hooks like? How do you use them? It required a tremendous amount of [research and development].

If it were not for the Worm Unit, I would still be shooting the movie right now Some of those shots took weeks to do. It was technically very intense because I wanted a level of realism that has not been seen before, and I wanted to make sure that the audience would absolutely believe in Paul's journey. That was by far the most complex sequence I have ever done in my life.... Frankly, it's exactly the dream I had. Every time I see the scene, I’m sincerely moved because it has exactly the visual qualities I was looking for. I wanted it to feel so real, so edgy, and so dangerous.

Why Sandworm Riding Is An Important Aspect Of Dune

Paul riding one in the film will be important, as it makes concrete his place among the planet's people.

The sandworms in Dune are called Shai-Hulud by the Fremen, who revere them as a key element of spice production on Arrakis. Beyond their physical abilities and sheer size, though, the worms also carry symbolic significance for the Fremen, who see them as close to divine in nature. This is why Paul riding one in the film will be so important, as it makes concrete his place among the planet's people.

Its realistic portrayal in the film is also promising from a technical perspective, making it feel like Paul is really latched onto the back of a giant worm. Footage shown of the event so far has been promising, but Villeneuve revealing how much work went into it means it could be the most memorable part of the film. By realizing the moment in a realistic way, the importance of how it plays out will further emphasize the Atreides' assimilation with the Fremen.

The dedication for the scene bodes well not only for Paul's big moment, but for the level of detail in the entire film.

Since Dune: Part Two's runtime is longer than Part One, it's possible the movie will have a lengthy scene explaining sandworm riding and its importance. The dedication for the scene bodes well not only for Paul's big moment, but for the level of detail in the entire film. It remains to be seen what other exciting surprises are in store when the movie finally arrives in theaters.