Denis Villeneuve believes Dune stars are the 'future of cinema'

Denis Villeneuve believes Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler and Florence Pugh are the “future of cinema”.

The 56-year-old filmmaker insisted the young stars in ‘Dune: Part Two’ are “not products” with very strong identities in their own right and he’s impressed at how they’ve attracted such loyal fanbases, which has helped bring people back into cinemas.

Asked if he has faith in the next generation following claims the era of the movie star is over, Denis told The Hollywood Reporter: “It’s difficult to talk about this because it’s in motion and we don’t have distance. Maybe we will see the impact in 10 years, but yes, I believe in this new generation.

“They are very open, very wise, very skilled and very playful.

“Timothée, Zendaya, Florence and Austin play with the red carpet, and it’s stunning how they own that space.

“They are very authentic. They are not products. They are artists who own their own identities.

“They also receive an incredible amount of demand and curiosity from young people.

“These actors bring out a lot of passion in teenagers and young adults, and I love the fact that they are bringing young people to the theaters. So they are the movie stars of the future, and they will talk to the new generation. This is the future of cinema.”

The Canadian filmmaker also discussed how “frightening” he found the idea of Hollywood and was “vulnerable” ahead of making his American debut with 2013’s ‘Prisoners’, which starred Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.

He said: “For foreign directors, Hollywood can be frightening. You hear all those stories of great filmmakers getting crushed by the system and losing their identity. It’s a big machine, and I felt vulnerable.

“There was something precious and pure about what I had just done with ‘Incendies’, and I just wanted to protect that and myself by making future movies with the same kind of artistic integrity.

“But one of the first [American] screenplays I was sent by my agents at the time strangely felt in direct continuity with ‘Incendies’ and the thematic cycle of violence. It was ‘Prisoners’, so I agreed to meet with the studio and I said to myself, ‘I’m going to finally meet those infamous Hollywood studio executives.’ ”

But Denis was shocked to find he had a great experience in the studio system.

He said: “I then went to L.A. to pitch without fear because I had nothing to lose. I was sure that I wouldn’t get it. And so I just told the truth, and being straightforward might be why I got the project. I wasn’t trying to please them.

“And to my great surprise, I couldn’t believe how well ‘Prisoners’ went. I was absolutely respected, and my director’s cut made it to the screen.”