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The Godfathertrilogy began in 1972 and is still considered one of the most iconic and influential films of all time. If you truly want to get into the essence of cinema,The Godfatheris a must-watch for you. No wonder the film found a place for itself in the U.S. National Film Registry. It had a ton of unforgettable characters that filmmakers haven’t been able to replicate, even today. But now, it looks likeDune 2has come to challenge this statement. At least, according to Denis Villeneuve.
In a recent interview, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve compared Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides to Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone. Given the fact that Michael Corleone is one of the most iconic and tragic characters in cinema history, it goes without saying that Denis Villeneuve’s comment has received mixed reactions from the fans of the film industry.
Denis Villeneuve ComparesDune 2’s Paul Atreides to Michael Corleone
In conversation withThe New York Times,Denis Villeneuveanswered all that he could aboutDune: Part Two,leaving no details behind. During the interview, the filmmaker was asked about the betrayal ofTimothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides toward the Fremen andZendaya’s Chani.
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In the film, Paul earns Chani’s trust after he reassures her that he’s not there to rule the Fremen, but to fight alongside them. He spends months learning the culture of the Fremen, only increasing Chani in her trust, only to betray her in the end by using her people for his own vengeful quest.
Talking about the film’s ending and Paul’s ultimate decision, Villeneuve told TNYT,
“He betrayed her in many ways. But the big thing for Chani is that it’s not about love. It’s about the fact that he becomes the figure that will keep the Fremen in their mental jail. A leader that is not there to free the Fremen, but to control them. That’s the tragedy of all tragedies.”
He then went ahead and compared Paul toAl Pacino’s Michael Corleone inThe Godfatherstating,
“Like the Michael Corleone of sci-fi, he becomes what he wanted to avoid. And he will try to find a way to save his soul in the third part.”
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Needless to say, the comparison has received mixed reviews from those who have watched both films.
Fans React to Denis Villeneuve’s Comment
Villeneuve’s comments were quick to reach social media where the filmmaker received varying reactions from his fans. While some were totally on board and agreed with what he had to say, others couldn’t comprehend the fact that he would go ahead and compare Paul to Michael.
“Literally, her eyes are nearly popping”: Rebecca Ferguson’ Favorite Scene from Dune Was Nightmarishly Scary That Was Deleted by Denis Villeneuve
Here’s a look into what both sides have to say about Villeneuve’s judgment:
He didn’t have to say that loud… Most of the people who watched both the films knew that.
— DepressedBergman (@DannyDrinksWine)July 05, 2025
This is not the right comparison lol
— nick (@nickamadruto)July 22, 2025
@JefferyOnTheMic@JMccuhwhat a stellar comparison
— Python (@PythonDesignsHD)June 02, 2025
pic.twitter.com/gL792yrNV7
— António G. Pimentel (@Antgentil96)June 03, 2025
This is actually a pretty good analogy. Only problem is that it implies the third film will be universally hated. Hope that doesn’t happen lol
— キューダイナミク 🍉🥥 (@QDynamicc)June 22, 2025
‘‘Paul Atreides is the ‘Michael Corleone of sci-fi'😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Sebastian (@S3ba1Kilme)August 24, 2025
The American Film Institute listed Michael as the eleventh most iconic villain in film history back in 2003. However, you could also say that the character was more of a tragic hero if anything. Al Pacino’s work in the films will be penned down in history and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that students will be studying his portrayal of the character in film school in the future.
Therefore, comparing Paul to Michael is a huge deal. This just puts a lot of pressure on the character, Villeneuve, and Chalamet to createDune 3in a way that will justify the filmmaker’s statement. These words could come back to bite Villeneuve in the future if the sequel does not perform well since he has now exponentially raised the expectations fans have from the franchise.
You can streamThe Godfatheron Peacock Premium whereasDune: Part Twois currently playing in theaters.
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2256
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
