Brutalism, septic tanks and a rejection of the sci-fi status quo informed the set design of the film Dune: Part Two, production designer Patrice Vermette tells Dezeen in this interview.
Vermette worked on both parts of the movie Dune, an adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel realised by director Denis Villeneuve.
The second film continues to explore the book's themes of colonialism, environmentalism and religion as its warring factions battle for control over the resource-rich desert planet of Arrakis.
Patrice Vermette (right) worked with director Denis Villeneuve on the Dune movies. Photo by Niko Tavernise
Villeneuve and Vermette ? who also worked together on Villeneuve's science fiction movie Arrival ? focused on creating a rich and original visual language for the Dune films, which are set thousands of years in the future. "What's fascinating about the book, for the design aspect of it, is that it doesn't give you all the answers," Vermette told Dezeen.
While Herbert gave detailed descriptions of the conditions of each planet, he wasn't as descriptive when it came to what specific locations looked like, leaving plenty of room for imagination.
Dune: Part Two explores themes of religion and colonialism in a future empire. Photo by Niko Tavernise
"It gives you just the right amount of pieces of the puzzle to help you understand what the realities of those planets are," said Vermette.
The designer said that with such detailed descriptions of site cond...