Stellan Skarsgard cast as villain in 'Dune' reboot

Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Stellan Skarsgard is set to star as a villain in director Denis Villeneuve's upcoming reboot of Dune.

Skarsgard will be portraying Baron Harkonnen whose family previously ruled the planet of Arrakis before the Atreides family took it over.

Timothee Chalamet will be taking on the lead role of Paul Atreides who fights to win back the planet from a galactic emperor who is working with Baron Harkonnen.

Dave Bautista and Rebecca Ferguson are also set to star in the sc-fi epic.

Dune, based on Frank Herbert's series of novels, is being written by Villeneuve, Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts. Studio Legendary acquired the film and television rights for Dune in a deal with Herbert's estate in 2016. A Dune film from director David Lynch was orginally released in 1984.

Production on the film is expected to begin in the spring in Budapest and Jordan.

Skarsgard was last seen in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and is known for starring in Thor and Pirates of the Caribbean films.