Ortega could have played Chani in Dune’s latest big-screen adaptation.
From The Addams Family‘s spinoff Wednesday to Scream to the forthcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Jenna Ortega has been associated with some pretty significant franchises. As a new BuzzFeed Puppy Interview appearance from the actress reveals, she almost counted a massive science-fiction juggernaut among that list. Ortega shared that she auditioned for a role in Denis Villeneuve’s live-action Dune movies. While it isn’t clear the exact role she was in contention for, she hints that it was for the role of Chani, a part that ultimately went to Zendaya.
“I auditioned for Dune when I was about fifteen,” “I remember just being a big fan of that film and the franchise and everything like that, and being really excited for that interview, because Denis is one of my favorite filmmakers. I think it was Chani. I think it was Zendaya’s… but they weren’t saying that. Everything was very secret.”
Will There Be a Dune 3?
Following the release of this year’s Dune: Part Two, fans have been curious to see if and how the franchise will continue on the big screen. Villeneuve has teased that a script for the third film, Dune: Messiah, exists, and that he is focusing on telling the best possible distillation of the source material. Fans have speculated that Dune: Messiah will be released on December 18, 2026, which is currently held by Warner Bros. for an unknown movie’s release date.
“I’m working on four different screenplays — I know that Dune: Messiah will be one of them, I don’t know if it will be the next or the second next,” Villeneuve shared in an interview earlier this year. “My job was to try to keep the spirit of Frank Herbert alive as much as possible — the whole meaning of Dune becomes clear with Dune: Messiah.”
What Is Beetlejuice Beetlejuice About?
In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the Deetz family returns home to Winter River after Charles Deetz’s unexpected death. Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened, releasing Betelgeuse.
Directed by Tim Burton, the cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice includes Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released exclusively in theaters on Friday, September 6th.
