The Real Reason Stellan Skarsgard's Baron Vladimir Harkonnen Is Naked In Dune

Director Denis Villeneuve made bold decisions when filming Frank Herbert's "unadaptable" sci-fi novel, to the point that "Dune: Part Two" gets things totally wrong from the book. Regardless, the results have been fantastic, with the sequel emerging as one of Villeneuve's most celebrated films to date. One creative liberty the director took is often showing big bad guy Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) nude.

In a 2022 discussion hosted by the Directors Guild of America, he explained why that is. "I love the prosthetics of the Baron so much. I thought it was so beautiful naked that I decided to rewrite the first scene to see him naked and to invent this idea of a steam bath so I can see Stellan Skarsgård in his full grandeur," Villeneuve said. "I was just in love with the naked Baron. And Stellan too. He really loved the result of it."

Turning the Swedish actor into a figure worthy of inducing nightmares was no small task. All in all, it took five people four hours to apply the silicone bald cap, eyebrow covers, and prosthetic cheeks, jowls, hands, feet, and ankles — and that's when he's clothed. It took six and a half to seven hours to prepare him for when he's not wearing a costume, partially because everything is practical rather than CGI.

Despite this, Stellan Skarsgård insisted on more nude scenes. "Stellan just loved being naked as the Baron," makeup artist Donald Mowat told TheWrap. "He was always asking for more nudity." From Skarsgård's point of view, the Baron's frequent nudeness reveals how terrifying he is. "Harkonnen is more dangerous naked than in armor," he told USA Today. "His evilness comes from the inside."

While the Baron is killed in "Dune: Part Two," Paul's (Timothée Chalamet) journey continues in "Dune: Messiah" (although you shouldn't expect "Dune 3" anytime soon).