Dune photos give fans their first look at Jason Momoa and Zendaya on set

New photos from Dune have given fans a glimpse at stars Zendaya and Jason Momoa in character.

The former Disney star and the Aquaman hunk play Chani and Duncan Idaho respectively in the sci-fi epic, as seen in images released by Vanity Fair on Tuesday. 

Other images give a look at the rest of the all-star cast, including Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin and Rebecca Ferguson. 

The film, which stars Timothée Chalamet as protagonist Paul Atreides, is slated for a December 18 release.

Chalamet spoke with Vanity Fair on Tuesday about the difficulty in shooting the film in remote regions outside Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

‘I remember going out of my room at 2 a.m., and it being probably 100 degrees,’ said the Call Me by Your Name star. 

There were however, limits to working in the oppressive heat, which sometimes reached 120 degrees according to the actor.

‘They put a cap on it out there, if it gets too hot,’ said the New York born thespian. 

‘I forget what the exact number is, but you can’t keep working.’ 

Denis Villneuve has spoken in detail about his adaptation of Dune, admitting it was the ‘most difficult thing [he’s] ever done in [his] life.’ 

Vanity Fair‘s second report from the set of the sci-fi epic saw the director, 52, talk about his desire to make the film on Tuesday, and follows on from Monday’s first look at Timothée’s character Paul Atreides.

Villeneuve, who has previously made films like Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, spoke about adapting Frank Herbet’s legendary novel, including its incredible complicated plot that has previously been deemed ‘unfilmable.’

Detailing how he came to take the director’s chair, Villeneuve told the publication:  ‘I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie. The world is too complex. It’s a world that takes its power in details.’

‘It’s a book that tackles politics, religion, ecology, spirituality—and with a lot of characters,’ he added. ‘I think that’s why it’s so difficult. Honestly, it’s by far the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life.’

Going on to discuss the relevance of Herbert’s 20th century novel even now, the Sicario filmmaker said how it examined issues such as oil, capitalism and the exploitation of the earth.

‘Today, things are just worse. It’s a coming-of-age story, but also a call for action for the youth,’ he admitted. 

New images of Dune were also released in the on-set report, and showed the star-studded cast in action on set in Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.

Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin all featured in the epic snaps, but it was Oscar Isaac’s Duke Leto, Paul’s father, who drove fans wild on Twitter. 

Taking to social media to gush about the actor in his new role, one fan wrote: ‘Y’all did not have to go this hard with Oscar Isaac’s first pic from Dune, but yah did and all I have to say is DAAAAAMMMMMMNNNNNN! [sic]’

While another added: ‘Listen, anyone trying to eye-roll about Dune, Villeneuve, or articles trying to explain its insane complexity, it won’t matter. 

‘Now that we’ve seen Oscar Isaac we’ll never look back. It’s only a forward march now for most of us until December.’

One fan gushed that Oscar ‘exuded power’ as Leto, while another said: ‘Yeah, like you wouldn’t follow Space Oscar Isaac into battle. DAAAAAAMN. [sic]’  

Dune follows Chalamet’s Atreides and his family as they embark on a trip to desert mining planet Arrakis to oversee the extraction of melange, the most valuable substance in the universe. 

A royal decree awards Arrakis to Duke Leto Atreides and ousts his bitter enemies, the Harkonnens. However, when the Harkonnens violently seize back their fiefdom, it is up to Paul, Leto’s son, to lead the Fremen, the natives of Arrakis, in a battle for control of the planet and its spice. 

‘The immediately appealing thing about Paul was the fact that in a story of such detail and scale and world-building, the protagonist is on an anti-hero’s-journey of sorts,’ Chalamet told Vanity Fair on Monday. 

‘He thinks he’s going to be sort of a young general studying his father and his leadership of a fighting force before he comes of age, hopefully a decade later, or something like that.’

David Lynch’s adaptation of the novel in 1984 was somewhat of a flop, failing to make much impact at the box office but still became a cult favourite among sci-fi fans. 

Dune is still slated for release on December 18 despite the coronavirus pandemic suspending Hollywood productions and pushing back movie release dates.