Summary
- Feyd-Rautha is likely between 18 and 21 in Dune: Part Two, adding depth to his character and relationships.
- Feyd-Rautha’s coming of age is crucial for the Harkonnen House and the plot of the Dune sequel.
- Austin Butler, older than his character, and the rest of the cast bring maturity and depth to their roles in the adaptation.
SPOILERS ahead for Dune: Part Two.Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha is one of the most fascinating characters in Dune: Part Two, leaving many questions regarding his character’s fictional biography. Butler joined the Dune 2 cast after his character was absent in the 2021 film, serving as one of the sequel’s central antagonists. He first appears in the sequence on Giedi Prime, the Harkonnen home planet, where he participates in gladiatorial games to celebrate his birthday. Aside from defining characteristics, like being a psychopathic, sadistic killer, Feyd-Rautha isn’t explored too thoroughly.
Like in many fantasy or sci-fi adaptations, many changes from the books are made in Dune: Part Two, including the ages of various characters. For example, Paul Atreides is only 15 in the novel, but he’s played by 28-year-old Timothée Chalamet in the film, implying that he’s slightly older than 15 in Denis Villeneuve’s movies. Since Feyd-Rautha’s screen time went out of its way to suggest he was having a birthday, it begs the question of his age, which can be assumed from a mix of book information, movie context clues, and the actor’s age when shooting.
Feyd-Rautha Is Likely 18-21 Years Old In Dune: Part Two
Feyd-Rautha’s age has important narrative implications.
In Dune: Part Two, it would make the most sense if Feyd-Rautha is between 18 and 21 years old in the film. Lady Margot Fenring, during their brief infatuation, congratulates Feyd-Rautha for “coming of age” in a scene that’s implied but not shown in the novel. The distinction is likely purposeful to imply Feyd-Rautha is slightly older in the film adaptation, as his being any younger adds unnecessary controversy to his romantic stint with Lady Margot, who is an adult. To make the film appropriate for commercial appeal, these minor changes are helpful without being unfaithful to the source material.
Feyd-Rautha embodies the Harkonnen sadism and cunning, and becoming an adult is a valuable tool for his House.
Feyd-Rautha’s coming of age and becoming an adult in the eyes of the Dune universe is vital for another reason. Building toward the climactic Dune 2 ending on Arrakis, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen instates Feyd-Rautha as his chosen heir rather than Feyd’s older brother, Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista). This would explain why Baron Harkonnen wouldn’t have made the swap earlier, as Rabban’s incompetence had been harming his spice production on Arrakis for years. Feyd-Rautha embodies the Harkonnen sadism and cunning, and becoming an adult is a valuable tool for his House.
How Old Feyd-Rautha Is In The Dune Book
The book version of Feyd-Rautha seems to be slightly younger than the movie’s.
In Frank Herbert’s Dune, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is 17 years old, making him slightly older than Paul Atreides. It’s very typical for fantasy novels to have underage characters and for Hollywood adaptations to increase their maturity by casting older actors. For example, Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones is roughly 13 at the start of the books, an age that wouldn’t fit well for some of her earlier scenes on screen. Frank Herbert’s Dune novels are set in the future, yet the society depicted resembles historical feudalism.
Imagining the acts of Feyd-Rautha carried out by a modern-day 17-year-old is more challenging to wrap one’s head around, so aging him up slightly is a clever choice.
With that in mind, the Dune world is filled with dated societal ideals fitting for its space feudal setting, such as Paul marrying Irulan rather than Chani for political reasons. Feyd-Rautha being 17 is fitting for that setting, as young men in history were often given responsibility beyond their years. However, imagining the acts of Feyd-Rautha carried out by a modern-day 17-year-old is more challenging to wrap one’s head around, so aging him up slightly is a clever choice. In the Dune world, the book age makes perfect sense, and a slight change isn’t harmful to that.
How Old Austin Butler Is Compared To Feyd-Rautha
Austin Butler is roughly a decade older than his Dune 2 character.
Feyd-Rautha actor Austin Butler was 32 years old when Dune: Part Two was released, though filming was done throughout 2022. Butler would’ve been 30/31 at the time, making him roughly a decade older than his character. This is also the case for other younger members of the Dune cast. Chani is approximately 13 years old in Dune when she first meets 15-year-old Paul. Both actors, being in their late 20s, add a young adult maturity to their relationship. Florence Pugh is the only young star younger than her character, as Princess Irulan is about 30 in the book.
It would be hard to pass 55-year-old Dave Bautista and 32-year-old Austin Butler as brothers in real life, but it’s far more manageable under their Harkonnen makeup.
As for Feyd-Rautha, the prosthetic-heavy Harkonnen design makes age easier to disguise. It would be hard to pass 55-year-old Dave Bautista and 32-year-old Austin Butler as brothers in real life, but it’s far more manageable under their Harkonnen makeup. Ultimately, Denis Villeneuve did a phenomenal job casting his Dune: Part Two adaptation, as each actor faithfully brings their respective character to life from the pages of Frank Herbert’s world while also adding their own sophisticated touch.
