‘Dune 3’ Production Designer Patrice Vermette Created a 55-Ton Spaceship for Sci-Fi Epic: It’s a ‘Major Spectacle’ — SkimNews
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- Dune: Part Three opens Dec. 18 with Timothee Chalamet returning as Paul Atreides; set 17 years after Part Two and inspired by “Dune Messiah,” it follows the consequences of Paul’s rule as emperor.
- Patrice Vermette disclosed that the opening battle’s 55-ton ship had to be buried underground for the rain sequence, raised by a crane every two days and paired with pumps to remove the water. Just one ship was built for the scene, with its interior and exterior seen in 360 degrees.
- Denis Villeneuve directed Vermette not to repeat sets, establishing the pair’s motto: “Let’s challenge each other. Let’s make it different.”
- Giedi Prime was brought to life using industrial septic tanks as visual inspiration, while Vermette also built Atreides Castle and the Imperial Nexus Laboratory on Arrakis.
- Greig Fraser and Vermette collaborated with other department heads to build the Imperial Nexus Laboratory so the scene could be executed without cheating sunlight.
- Variety named Patrice Vermette a Creative Impact Award recipient at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival, where he promised the third film a “major spectacle” likened to fireworks.
Why it matters: For Dune’s production crew, the 55-ton opening ship made Villeneuve’s “not to repeat sets” directive physically demanding: a crane lifted it every two days, while a pump system removed the water. Vermette’s larger rule—that fantasy objects need a reason to exist—keeps the spectacle tied to the story.
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