"Denis Villeneuve"

Summary

Podcast Summary: SmartLess Episode - Denis Villeneuve

Release Date: December 16, 2024

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Introduction

In this compelling episode of SmartLess, hosts Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett welcome the renowned filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. Known for his masterful storytelling and visually stunning films, Villeneuve engages in an in-depth conversation that spans personal experiences, creative processes, and the profound themes embedded in his work.

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Personal Reflections and Mental Health

The episode begins with Villeneuve opening up about his recent struggles with mental health. At [02:00], Denis shares:

“I have been in a rough place and this really saved me... seeing you guys has just made my day.”

His candidness sets a tone of authenticity, emphasizing the importance of support and friendship. The hosts respond with empathy, fostering a genuine and heartfelt dialogue that resonates with listeners who may face similar challenges.

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Exploring Mortality and the Human Condition

As the conversation progresses, the discussion shifts to deeper existential themes. Jason Bateman introduces the topic at [13:10]:

“Life is a journey, death is a destination. What do you do with your time?”

Denis delves into how these themes are intricately woven into his films, particularly in Arrival and the Dune series. He reflects on the importance of living in the present and cherishing relationships, a sentiment echoed by Will Arnett:

“It's about living the moment and not being afraid of living because of the fear of death.”

This segment underscores Villeneuve’s commitment to portraying nuanced human emotions and philosophical questions through his cinematic narratives.

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Filmmaking Process and Adaptation of Literature

A significant portion of the episode focuses on Villeneuve’s approach to adapting complex literary works into film. At [17:43], the conversation touches on the meticulous process behind adapting Dune:

“Hans Zimmer is not known to be subtle... the score will be essential, absolutely crucial to the success of the movie.”

Villeneuve discusses his collaboration with composers like Hans Zimmer, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between sound design and visual storytelling. He highlights the challenge of staying true to the source material while infusing it with fresh, innovative elements that resonate with modern audiences.

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Collaborations with Actors and Cinematographers

Villeneuve’s collaborations with actors and cinematographers are lauded throughout the episode. At [21:47], he speaks about working with Stellan Skarsgård in Dune:

“You see the envy. You see the desire for that, the thirst, the hunger... it's almost Shakespearean.”

Jason Bateman further explores Villeneuve’s dynamic with the legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, noting the seamless integration of their artistic visions. Villeneuve describes their collaborative process as one rooted in mutual respect and a shared dedication to achieving cinematic excellence.

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Challenges and Rewards of Directing

The discussion also delves into the logistical and creative challenges of directing large-scale films. During the segment on Sicario at [51:21], Villeneuve shares insights on balancing intense subject matter with authentic portrayal:

“The screenplay was so intense. I was drained of energy. I know that when you're in the middle of a shoot, there's no moment where you can relax.”

Despite the demanding nature of his projects, Villeneuve emphasizes the rewarding aspect of bringing powerful narratives to life and the profound impact they have on both audiences and collaborators.

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Legacy and Impact on Audiences

Towards the end of the episode, the hosts and Villeneuve reflect on the lasting legacy of his films. At [66:55], Villeneuve muses:

“It would be moving to think that people could be inspired.”

They discuss how films like Dune not only entertain but also inspire future generations of filmmakers and storytellers. The conversation underscores the responsibility and privilege Villeneuve feels in shaping narratives that challenge and inspire audiences worldwide.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with heartfelt thanks from the hosts, acknowledging Denis Villeneuve’s contributions to cinema and his openness in sharing personal and professional insights. At [67:20], Jason Bateman sums up:

“Please keep it coming.”

Villeneuve’s presence on SmartLess offers listeners a rare glimpse into the mind of one of today’s most visionary directors, blending humor, sincerity, and profound discourse.

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Notable Quotes:

• Denis Villeneuve at [02:00]:

  “I have been in a rough place and this really saved me... seeing you guys has just made my day.”

• Jason Bateman at [13:10]:

  “Life is a journey, death is a destination. What do you do with your time?”

• Will Arnett at [17:44]:

  “I love the idea that those movies are taking themselves seriously. They are sci-fi that don't apologize to be sci-fi.”

• Denis Villeneuve at [21:47]:

  “You see the envy. You see the desire for that, the thirst, the hunger... it's almost Shakespearean.”

• Denis Villeneuve at [66:55]:

  “It would be moving to think that people could be inspired.”

---

This episode of SmartLess not only showcases Denis Villeneuve’s exceptional talents but also his vulnerability and introspection, offering a well-rounded portrayal of the man behind some of the most influential films of our time.

Transcript

[Sean Hayes]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Will Arnett]

Us and four lines for $25 a.

[Denis Villeneuve]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Sean Hayes]

Taxes and fees and $10 device connection.

[Jason Bateman]

Charge phones via 24 monthly bill credits.

[Sean Hayes]

For Wal qualified customers.

[Jason Bateman]

Contact us before canceling entire account to continue bill credits or credit stop and balance on a required finance agreement due.

[Sean Hayes]

Bill credits end if you pay off devices early.

[Jason Bateman]

CT mobile.com.

[Denis Villeneuve]

I wanted you guys to know I hope you're rolling on this. You ready?

[Jason Bateman]

Here we go.

[Denis Villeneuve]

I want you guys to know that this morning this is the most serious cold to open. Yes, I've been in a rough place and this really. I feel like I've shared a lot in the last year have been a rough place but I have been a lot going on and this saved me. This morning after a few days really saved me.

[Jason Bateman]

Knowing you're saying you might not have made it, you might not have made it to lunchtime.

[Denis Villeneuve]

No, I would have made. I'm not, I wasn't going to take my own life but I. I was in a pretty bad place and knowing that I was coming here and then getting on and seeing you guys, this has just made my day. That's it.

[Sean Hayes]

No joke. Isn't that nice?

[Jason Bateman]

And is that why you took a little shower, A little self care, Combed your hair, put on a nice top?

[Denis Villeneuve]

I wanted to look nice for you guys. You know, I wanted to show up here and be respectful of the process that I. The one. The thing I can count on is you. Two Ding Dongs.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Denis Villeneuve]

And then the other. And then the other three Ding Dongs who we work with as well, Robin, Bennett and Michael. So I know it's a late. Thanksgiving's been a minute, but I want to say thank you and I'm very grateful for you guys.

[Jason Bateman]

We love you, we thank you, and.

[Sean Hayes]

You make our day, too, Anytime you want.

[Jason Bateman]

And so let's try to make other people's days and let's.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Let's wreck it all again.

[Jason Bateman]

Fresh episode of Smart. Less.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Smart.

[Will Arnett]

Less.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Sm.

[Will Arnett]

Less.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Smart.

[Sean Hayes]

Less.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, speaking of medical conditions.

[Sean Hayes]

I know I can't even. I can't.

[Jason Bateman]

You don't want to talk about it?

[Sean Hayes]

We can talk. I'm an open book. I'll talk about anything.

[Jason Bateman]

Shawnee wakes up in the middle of the night with his. With his heart thingy. For everybody other than Tracy here. The reminder is he's got an afib situation. Right. Which necessitates the paddles at the emergency room every once in a while. It's just ins. It's like if you had a car that would constantly just, like, have trouble getting started, you would eventually replace the battery.

[Sean Hayes]

So you were replacing me on Smartless.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, nor just your part.

[Denis Villeneuve]

No, we thought about it for one second. We never.

[Jason Bateman]

Can we get you on a list? We didn't even do a deep pump.

[Denis Villeneuve]

We didn't do a deep dive.

[Jason Bateman]

So he wakes up in the middle of the night and his heart's not working correctly. Or so he thinks. And so he doesn't want to wake up Scotty, so he calls a waymo for himself.

[Sean Hayes]

Sure.

[Jason Bateman]

And gets himself to the er. And Scotty wakes up later with a phone call from Sean from the ER saying, hey, buddy, I'm here. I just want to give you a heads up.

[Denis Villeneuve]

All good.

[Jason Bateman]

So I guess it's kind of nice that he doesn't want to trouble Scotty and worry him and just call him Jimmy.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Not once. Twice.

[Sean Hayes]

I got cardioverted twice. So I went under and then they gave me Jimmy Kimmel calls me Paddles. Right. Because of this.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

So Paddles got it twice that night.

[Jason Bateman]

Where?

[Sean Hayes]

My car. And yeah, it's pretty.

[Jason Bateman]

And yet you still made it out to dinner the following night.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

You weren't in a great place that night.

[Sean Hayes]

No, I was a little foggy. I was a little foggy.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, of course, you were.

[Sean Hayes]

More so than usual.

[Denis Villeneuve]

You've been. You've been, you know, electrocuted twice. Your. Your body had been, you know, that's a lot.

[Jason Bateman]

Are we.

[Sean Hayes]

By the way, the nurse. The nurse told me wild before I did it. She goes, you know, I had a big, tough cop come in here once, and he said, I don't want to be put under when you cardio. When you do the paddles, you know, clear. And. And the cop, like, he's like, I don't want it. I don't want to be put under. She's like, sir, no. Everybody is put under. She's like, nope, nope. I don't want it. And she goes, I've never heard somebody scream so loud in my entire life. The guy got Claire Gonk, and he was like, why?

[Jason Bateman]

Because it hurts. What? It's an electrical shot.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, your whole body goes. It's like being tased.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Right. So wait, how do you know what it's like being tased? Shantay.

[Sean Hayes]

Shantae.

[Denis Villeneuve]

That's your new name.

[Jason Bateman]

All right, that's enough.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, I mean, you got. Weren't you tased once at an Indigo Girls concert or something? What's the story on that? You had parked your.

[Jason Bateman]

You parked your Subaru with all the.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Stickers, coexist and all that stuff, and it parked. You were at.

[Sean Hayes]

We used to stay in college for the Indigo Girls.

[Denis Villeneuve]

You were in Bandor again. Okay, keep going. Sorry.

[Sean Hayes]

No, I said it's college. And we'd say if you take the N and the O out of Indigo Girls, it sells. It says, I dig girls.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

Thanks, everybody.

[Jason Bateman]

What a calling.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Now, was this you? You were. This was at Harvard.

[Sean Hayes]

What a.

[Jason Bateman]

Hey, Sean, just to close the loop, are. Are you on the. Are you on the backside of. Of figuring out this heart thing?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I'm going. I'm going today after this.

[Denis Villeneuve]

I just want to get. I want to say this. All jokes aside. I. And we. I speak for Jason. Love you very, very much.

[Sean Hayes]

Likewise.

[Denis Villeneuve]

And the idea of you not being fully well is very distressing to me, to be honest. Well, and I want to make sure that you're okay. So are we doing. Is there anything else today?

[Sean Hayes]

I'm going to, like, a super specialist.

[Jason Bateman]

Okay, but what does that mean? You're going up into the thigh again? Is it like. Are we knocking you out again? Like, is this a major surgery?

[Sean Hayes]

It's not surgery. It's just. It's like a two hour procedure.

[Jason Bateman]

So it's just not a general. It's just that the hour.

[Sean Hayes]

It's not even two hours. It's an hour.

[Jason Bateman]

You getting the Twilight?

[Denis Villeneuve]

Propofol.

[Sean Hayes]

Propofol, yeah.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Oh, this.

[Jason Bateman]

This is what's driving all of this. You're so addicted to anesthesia.

[Sean Hayes]

It's pretty beautiful.

[Jason Bateman]

I know. What is? You know. You know what happened, Mr. Jackson, right?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Well, I'm not taking it to sleep.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, you know, slippery slope, jb.

[Denis Villeneuve]

You had it right when you got your thing.

[Jason Bateman]

What do I have.

[Denis Villeneuve]

When we had our things. When we all had our things looked at, what happened when they went up our butts?

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, no. You mean a body scan. We looked at what A body scan.

[Jason Bateman]

No, you're talking about a colonoscopy, right?

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah. Remember?

[Jason Bateman]

And, yeah, that's just a Twilight. Is that Propofol?

[Denis Villeneuve]

That's.

[Sean Hayes]

That's Propofol now, like the copy I requested. No anesthesia.

[Jason Bateman]

Come on, keep it clean. We've got a respectable guest.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, come on.

[Jason Bateman]

Respectable guest on deck.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Okay, let's. Well, let's hear it. Here's the. Go to the intro, JB this is great. Hey, guys, fresh off the pages of Wikipedia comes his very special. He always talks about his special intro that he does, and it turns out he looked at it again. It goes back to that thing that I hate, which is people go like, I did some research, and I'm like, oh, do you have the Internet? I do, too.

[Jason Bateman]

That's my wife's line. I don't. I've never. I never say I've done research on anything.

[Denis Villeneuve]

I know you don't.

[Will Arnett]

I know you don't.

[Jason Bateman]

Men. Today we have, simply put, one of our finest filmmakers living in the world. Okay? His Films have received 28 Academy Award nominations, taken home nine of them, and grossed nearly $2 billion. Oh, my gosh. His films have captured the small and the nuanced human condition, as well as the enormous scope and scale of sci fi's most complicated stories. Guys, he's our perfect guest. For Will, he's a Canadian. For me, he's a beast of a director. And Sean, he's a titan in the sci fi world right now. Ladies and gentlemen, here he comes. Denis.

[Sean Hayes]

No way.

[Denis Villeneuve]

You're kidding me. Oh, my God, you're kidding me.

[Will Arnett]

I do bad to interrupt your conversation.

[Jason Bateman]

I apologize for the whole.

[Will Arnett]

I was learning a lot of dramatic things.

[Jason Bateman]

One cigarette, one mistress.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Coffee with my mistress. No. No. Den. What an absolute honor.

[Will Arnett]

My great pleasure to be with you.

[Sean Hayes]

I just wrote you an email, like a dorky email, like three or four months ago. I don't know if you got.

[Jason Bateman]

You did?

[Sean Hayes]

Yes.

[Jason Bateman]

Hold on. Do you know him?

[Sean Hayes]

No, I just.

[Jason Bateman]

It's just a fan. Fan email.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I just wrote you an email. I was just like, oh my God, he got it.

[Denis Villeneuve]

But no comment.

[Sean Hayes]

That's right.

[Jason Bateman]

What was it? Was it notes? Was it notes on a lot?

[Sean Hayes]

It was notes on arrival.

[Will Arnett]

You did. I'm not sure I got that.

[Sean Hayes]

But you know, Arrival, I've seen I don't know how many times. I just think it's one of the best movies ever. Ever. I mean, it's just incredible.

[Will Arnett]

Thank you, Sean.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, I so much. Good work. My goodness.

[Will Arnett]

Thank you.

[Sean Hayes]

That's it.

[Denis Villeneuve]

That's it. Yeah. That's the interview.

[Jason Bateman]

Thank you for joining us.

[Will Arnett]

Bye now. All right. I go back in the dark.

[Jason Bateman]

No, no, no. All right.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, but it was pretty dramatic because I don't. I don't know you gentlemen. And it was a very intense conversation you were having about your common friend that is having conversations with my own.

[Sean Hayes]

I feel that it actually sounds more intense than it is like afib. AFIB doesn't cause a heart attack. Untreated, it can cause a stroke. But AFIB itself is not that serious, I'm told. We are not a medical podcast. We are not giving any.

[Will Arnett]

I'm not.

[Jason Bateman]

I want a second opinion on all of this. It seems it's just too common, these trips to the frickin emergency room anyway. Well, you know, we're all of that age, Denny. We're. You're. You're near us, right? We're all in our mid-50s or close to it, that all this, all this shit starts to. Starts to wobble a little bit. The nuts on the wheels start to get a little loose. Right.

[Will Arnett]

And we arrive at that peak and now we're starting slowly.

[Jason Bateman]

Starts to ache.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Let's think that we're maybe plateauing before we get to the downhill, Denny. Let's think that just enjoy a little bit.

[Will Arnett]

We're on that plateau. Yes.

[Sean Hayes]

Keep talking about this part.

[Denis Villeneuve]

But we talk about. We end up talking about a lot of this stuff because Jason says because it's happening. And also we're friends and I don't know about you guys. It does seem like I said to Sean the other thing falling apart. No, life is in session right now. It does feel like in the world life is in session.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, for sure.

[Denis Villeneuve]

And you have to. I've had a certain amount of. Not to get lately, of surrender to it and just like, I can't fight it. I have to kind of go with the flow a little bit these days. And I'm concerned about things with health and with family and friends.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. I literally listed all the things Will's going through last night. He's like, oh, yeah, wow.

[Denis Villeneuve]

But everybody, nothing's happening to me. Life is just happening.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Denis Villeneuve]

And so anyway, so, Denny, you're catching us at a moment where we're. Yeah, but this is about as philosophical as we get.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

But the thing is that it's good that Sean is actually taking care of it and making tests and then. Because the bad thing is when you have a surprise that comes out of nowhere.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, God.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. I lost a friend of mine that was like 58, Jean Marc Valli, the director of a dyers Buyers club. And just biggest surprise, he was a healthy guy. He just fell on the floor, bang. And it thinks that. So it's good that at least you know you are taking care of it. There's someone. So it's going to be good.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, you have. And that gives you perspective. Right. When you have that sort of. When you get that contrast when you see that happen. And these guys know. I lost my friend, my dear friend Jeremy last year quite suddenly as well. He wasn't even. I guess he was. Had just turned 53 at the time. And it was very sudden. And it really does. It really puts everything in perspective a little bit, you know, for me it did. I don't know about you with losing your friend, but the perspective.

[Will Arnett]

Absolutely, absolutely big. Shocking the things that the doctor said is what is shocking. And what we don't accept is that people actually have days of preemption. I mean, there's a. Sometimes we are meant to be of a certain length and sometimes some people are meant to live less long. And it's shocking, but it's true.

[Sean Hayes]

An expiration date.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, yeah. Expiration date. I was doing French. Sorry.

[Denis Villeneuve]

No.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, somebody put it. Well, the other day to me, they said, life is a journey, death is a destination. You know, it's true because we're all going there and it's like, what do you do? What do you do with your time? Are we doing. Are we using our time correctly? We're at that age where we are sort of past the midway point where we're at that age where you start losing your parents and mortality really comes into focus. And have you used your time well to this point? And what are you going to do with your remaining time?

[Sean Hayes]

A wonderful theme in all Of Denny's work.

[Jason Bateman]

Yes, exactly.

[Will Arnett]

But it's a theme that is one of the main theme of arrival. And that's one of the things that I loved about the short story. It was based on the Story of youf Life, written by Ted Chang. That is a little masterpiece. And it's about. Yeah. Living to the present time to make the best out of it and not to be afraid of living because of the fear of death. And that I thought was a nice thing in this movie, in the short story.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Sorry, first of all, I didn't know it was based on a short story.

[Will Arnett]

Sean, you have to read the short story. The short story is a masterpiece. It's like 28 pages or something. Written by Ted Cheung, a very. A very, very strong sci fi writer. And it's like, it's a little gem.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, I'm going to look it up today. And I also think just hearing you say that reminds me of. It's really brought into focus. It seems almost elementary, like kind of so obvious. But you got to tell the people you love that you love them and you've got to make the most of those. It's not about living the most of your moment. Like, I'm going to go out and I'm going to parachute today or whatever. It's more that go and spend time and tell the people you love that you love them and be as loving as possible. And I've really been.

[Sean Hayes]

I think so too. You know, I just saw this thing, Willie everybody, that this pastor was saying at a commemorate. What is it called, a speech at a college commencement speech. And he said, when you're. He goes, I've seen thousands of people die. I've been on the, you know, our hundreds or thousands or whatever he said, standing next to them on their deathbed. And he goes, not one person said in their last breath, bring me all my awards. I want to see my awards one more time. Bring me, bring me, bring me my certificate from college. I just want to hold it one more time. And he said, what people ask for are the people that they love. Like Will was just saying. And that's the only thing they don't say. Bring me all the stuff I made. That's so all the achievements I've made. They seem to be the people I love.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

And that's it.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, Danny, so I imagine you get access to some of the greatest writers, stories, ideas, scripts. Is there. It must be hard to pick. And is there something that jumps out at you quickest when a project comes before you? If It's a story about mortality or the human condition or just the human part of something. Is there something that you really like to make movies about sort of a through line that exists in everything?

[Will Arnett]

It's a good question because through the movies I've made, I always have the weird impression sometimes the movie are choosing me more than. It's like the project comes and there's something. A connection that is sometimes difficult to explain, that is very intimate with the project. But recently I've been more drawn towards books that I. All books that have been with me since a long time, like the Dune books, the books that I read when I was a teenager. And those books have deep roots in my mind and my soul. And those books have been with. With me through the years. And I know that because I have a relationship of decades with these books, I know that it means something so deep that it makes sense to spend years trying to adapt them. I will have the same relationship with the book that I'm starting to work on in an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke, Rendezvous with Rama, which is a space. A movie that takes place in space. It's a book that I read when I was very young. Again, it's a book that stayed with me through the years. And when they have roots like that, it's a. But to answer to your questions. Yeah. Existentials. Movie about. The question about our. Why are we here?

[Sean Hayes]

I love that.

[Jason Bateman]

And then is it somewhat daunting to. Especially with books that you love that you've had as a part of you for so long is. Is it brutal to try to adapt those? Because, you know, most books are too long to fit inside of a 120 page script. And so you've got to get rid of a lot of stuff. Now with Dune, fortunately you were able to break it up into two parts. And the second one was the second half of the book.

[Sean Hayes]

Massive fan. Massive fan.

[Jason Bateman]

As opposed to a sequel. So it was just. You broke the book up into two films, which is incredible. The third one, potentially three.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Right.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, the third coming up. Right. Is a. Is a brand new story.

[Will Arnett]

It's the second book that will be the adaptation of Dune Messiah, which is the second book. The first movies were about that first book, Dune. It is the first artist I've approached when I decided to make this adaptation was Hans Zimmer, because I was just out of a movie with him and I absolutely adore working with him on Blade runner.

[Sean Hayes]

He's amazing.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

2049 for Tracy.

[Sean Hayes]

That's the composer, Hans Zimmer.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. And he.

[Jason Bateman]

Why? Why did you choose the composer? First?

[Will Arnett]

Because I knew that I will need the score in Dune will be essential, will be absolutely crucial to the success of the movie, to bring that kind of sacred quality that I wanted. And also because it's like. It's a. It's a matter of context. I was working with Ants. He would ask me, what will you do next? And we were talking about Dune and I saw his face change because it's his favorite book too. And we start to talk about it and the brainstorm about it. And Hans said to me that he had not seen the David lynch movie because he wanted to stay pure, a virgin he didn't want to see. He said, one day I know I'm gonna make the score for a new Dune adaptation. I want to know nothing about what has been done. I want to stay. Why I'm talking about this is because Hans right at the beginning said, but is it a good idea to tackle to get close to a teenager dream, to try to bring to the screen something that is so dear into our hearts and it is dangerous. You're meant to fail. You're going to fail. It's like you have to accept that you're going to fail, that you will be able to bring a little bit. A bit of a part of that dream on screen and the rest will be far away from it. And that space between what you achieve, what you were able to bring, and the things that are different means that I have space to grow and to get better, to make another movie. If I had absolutely succeeded, then I'd be in deep trouble.

[Denis Villeneuve]

I mean, by that measure, Denis, by that measure, it would seem that if. If you were to look at it, trying to hit that target of that dream of a teenage dream, if you will, if you were to do that to the letter, to the number to be exact, that would be, in effect, the failure, because the success would be everything beyond that, the unknown that you would bring. That's new, right? Like that idea. I wonder if. I think about the films that you've made and they have such scope to them. There's a sort of an epic nature to all of them. I'm such a. Like Sean and Jason, I'm such a massive fan of your films. And I wonder. They're so ambitious visually, storytelling wise, all of it, musically, all those elements, they are very ambitious. They are very big. And what was the. Was there a moment when you were young when you saw a certain film or a certain type of film? You said, that's because for me and Jason, you may be able to answer this too. As a director, are there moments where you go, this is where I want to go. Like, this is the kind of thing that inspires me.

[Will Arnett]

There's one. I remember that one of the first movie that had a big impact on me was. And I saw it on TV, frankly, was 2001 A Space Odyssey. When I saw that film, I was like, that really was like almost a trauma at first. Those hapes being afraid of that sculpture in the middle of the desert. It was so frightening and strange and poetic and powerful images. I will say that discovering the work when I was young, discovering the work of Steven Spielberg was through a close encounter of the third kind. That's a movie that really blew my mind when I was a kid.

[Sean Hayes]

Totally.

[Will Arnett]

Also when I saw Blade Runner the first time. That is another one. The original Blade Runner. That was something that I really. And I'm a Star wars generation.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

The first movie that I asked my parents to see in the theater. The first time I said, I want to see that, it was usually they were bringing me to the theater, but first time I said, I would love to see that. Looking at my dad's newspaper. It was Star Wars. And that was something that changed. I remember the energy coming out of this movie. It was incredible. At the time I was 10 years old, like probably you. I was like the target audience. The impact of that film was insane.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

And we will be right back.

[Sean Hayes]

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[Jason Bateman]

Well, you know, something that I love about. I think 2001 might be my favorite film. And the thing that I, I think really draws me to it time and time again is not only the music, but the. And his composition, et cetera. But something that I just realized while you were talking, that it does so well, that your films do incredibly well is as Will said, your scope. Your scope. Your ability to cinematically capture scope and scale in the obvious large scale, but in also in the internal scale as well. The massive scope of a Human's internal experience in a certain story. Like there are things that are incredibly small and intimate that goes on in 2001, as well as the obvious external, large scope of space and these machines and et cetera. Talk a little bit about your ability to capture that and the departments that you're drawn to in filmmaking that allow for you to travel as wide on the internal journey of a character as well as the external of these massive undertakings that you do. From a production standpoint, I think that.

[Will Arnett]

Scope and visual effects and things, it's not that difficult. I think that the thing that is a challenge, a. That I'm focusing a lot on set is to try to make sure that the emotional journeys of the actors, of the characters are authentic. People are talking to me about intimacy, but I think it's more. It's everybody. All the directors are trying to bring the intimacy, the inner world of the actors, of the characters, their inner journey on screen. But it's about the inner logic, the authenticity of that journey to make sure that it feels like genuine human reactions. And I think that's where the strong emotional impact comes from. When you feel that there's something that feels real, that feels like you can relate to. And it sounds obvious, but specifically in sci fi, I feel that very often characters are not. They don't behave like real humans. It's. It's a personal. It's a personal sensation. Sometimes I have. They can be two dimensional and it's. It's coming. Yeah. Maybe it's just like I. Coming from the documentary. I did documentaries when I was young. It's something that I think that I'm really focusing as I'm writing when I write or when I read the screenplay or. Or when I participate the writing process of a screenplay, I try to focus on and with the actors as well, to make sure that that journey feels like grounded, has roots in something real. So when Amy Adams see the alien, we believe it because it feels genuine. It feels like a real human reaction. Does it make sense?

[Denis Villeneuve]

Jason, you kind of brought it up about that inner. And. And Denis you were just touching on. I was thinking about specifically Stella Scargaard character in the two Dune films. Yeah. As this. I forget his character's name.

[Will Arnett]

The Baron Arcanan.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, yeah. And he's this. He's this. I mean, he's this incredible villain of all villains, in a way. He's this sort of despicable person who does the most. Sometimes capable of the most awful things. And yet you see in that moment when he's you see him eyeing the throne, and the throne is available that moment. You see he's not just a bad guy like Jabba the Hutt. Not to make the comparison or talk down, but you see the envy. You see the desire for that, the thirst, the hunger for it to reach with his eyes are reaching for it. Could it be mine in this way? That's almost Shakespearean. Yeah. But very real and human, too. I found that. That shot of him when you cut to him, I found that very alarming.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Well, you're making my day. Thank you so much. Because you're the first one who's talking about that moment. It's exactly this idea of addiction to power. The man is about to die, but still the idea that he could get closer to power is like a human addiction. Thank you very much for pointing that.

[Jason Bateman]

But there are components to building a moment like that that you're just uniquely incredible at in your ability to balance all departments to create that moment. And so for our listeners out there that aren't as familiar with what happens on set and the sequencing of things, talk a little bit about how you approach a moment like that where you know that it needs to have the authenticity of. Of sort of the human condition to counterbalance this crazy, odd sort of space world netherworld that's not really that tangible, but the human emotion is. And so that needs to be real, while this other stuff is not that real. And are you thinking, I'm fully reliant on the actor to really ground this with no acting and just being raw? Or do you predetermine a certain visual language, a certain piece of music from Hans, a certain bit of sound design from your mixers. Like, you know, there's so many different elements that you can do to build a moment just perfectly like that. Talk a little bit.

[Will Arnett]

It's a very good question. Thank you. All shots are different from that specific moment where the baron is, like, lying on the stairs. It's a character. For those who haven't seen the movie, it's a character that is just about to die and see suddenly, the throne. The king has left the throne, and the throne is up the stairs. And he's looking at the throne and he's crawling towards it. And with a moment like that, I will say it's a very simple image. So it's about Stalin. I explained to Stellan the idea, and Stellan Skarsgrd, who plays a baron, will perform and bring that to life. Life. Sometimes I will say that the camera angles and the camera movement can help to enhance our.

[Sean Hayes]

Elevate.

[Will Arnett]

Thank you very much.

[Jason Bateman]

I appreciate it.

[Sean Hayes]

That's why I'm here.

[Will Arnett]

Anyways, bring forth into an idea, the camera is always very powerful. But the birth of the idea is acting. Of course.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah, that's cool.

[Jason Bateman]

But let's say perhaps especially in the second.

[Will Arnett]

And to answer about music. It's something for me that It's a power. It's very. Music is super powerful. But I try to not think about it as I'm shooting. Because it needs to be on screen first. It's something that.

[Sean Hayes]

Well, I had a question about that.

[Jason Bateman]

Let me just finish just one point though, Sean. Sorry, but. So while the music can come and does come much later in the process. The assets you may need on the set to create the visual of it. That is a technocrane or whatever it is that you want to shoot that scene in a certain way. You need to have a lot of that stuff predetermined. So that you've got your crane there that day. And your riggers have set up the lighting in such a way, et cetera, et cetera. So how do you manage the balance between having an actor have the freedom that you want to give them, but also fit inside sometimes a very technical and pre thought and heavily prepped visual sequence that you need them to fit inside of. Hit this mark, react this way, turn this direction, you know, to fit something that may have other departments all predetermined, but it depends.

[Will Arnett]

A good example will be the sand worm riding. Where Timothee chalamet playing polar 3Ds, will attract a sandworm. And then when the sandworm arrives nearby him will jump on the worm and ride the worm. So it's a sequence that is like heavily storyboarded and needs a month of prep. And at this moment, let's say that the choreography that I impose, I'm more of a dictator. I impose a rhythm, a precise choreography that Smote has to follow. But inside that choreography, there are tiny moments where Timothy, when I mean, close up on him. How he can anticipate the arrival of this beast toward him. The way you can act with his eyes. There's tiny things in the micro precisions of acting that he can bring. I mean, that I'm open to ideas, but general. Sometimes it's more loose. Some sequences, there's more space for the actor. And those are also. I love when I have time to give space to the actors, to let them freeze a little bit, to breathe, to bring some ideas. I'm talking about the settings of a Scene. It can be that. It's very inspiring when people bring good ideas, but complicated.

[Jason Bateman]

Sometime when you have stuff that's predetermined and then you've got an actor that's got different ideas and it's like, well, no, no, no, we can't. This isn't one of those scenes where you can freestyle. You gotta do what I know.

[Will Arnett]

Exactly. But in the same time, it requires tremendous acting skills to be able to perform and to bring life to like Timothy facing the worm or any Adams facing the aliens, or to be in relationship with something that doesn't exist. It's like. It requires night imagination. And it's not easy for actors to perform in those movies with big toys and all these things. And to answer to your first part of your question about technocranes or dollies, etc. Those are our. It's all planned in advance when I built the scene. It's all drawn prepared so we know exactly what kind of technology we'll use on the day. Of course.

[Jason Bateman]

Was there a lot of green screen versus volume stage on Dune 1 and 2? What was the. Did you use any of the volume stages? Was it all green? Was there a split happening?

[Will Arnett]

No, we were all out. We were almost as possible outside in the real environment, or we were real sets. We built as much as we could, and we were in the real environment in the desert. And those landscapes are for the people who have been in the landscape that are bigger than life, that bring humility inside you. That the impact on those landscape is tremendous on the actors and myself and the similarities.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, I watched the whole behind the scenes, all of it, all of the Dune, both Dune. I couldn't consume enough of it. It was just. I was just blown away with how it's made. And one dumb question I have is when. When people are walking in the sand and it's the first print, footprints in the sand. That's one take. Like, how do you.

[Will Arnett]

How do you do that? It's a. It's a.

[Sean Hayes]

You know what I mean?

[Denis Villeneuve]

You're gonna love show business.

[Will Arnett]

You're gonna love show business. The rake crew, it required a certain amount. We can erase footsteps in the background, things like that, with cgi, but we cannot. You cannot have an actor walking his own footsteps again, because that's a nightmare for vfx.

[Jason Bateman]

So you have a crew with rakes.

[Will Arnett]

So it means that we have, like. We have to plan to find areas where we will each take, move the camera, put the camera on a dolly and move to make sure that we have the perfect sense place to do five or six or seven or eight takes that we will also have. The crew will have the discipline not to make any footsteps on the other we choose. It's. It feels. It sounds simple, but it's not. It's like when you have a crew of 800 people in the. In the sand to. To make sure that everybody follow the same path and amazing. And that it gives the opportunity to see crazy things. Like every night when I was going back from the setup when I had sunset, that there were 100 people grooming the sand dunes to repeat the footsteps that we had made. So the wind will do his work during the night. And it's very poetic that I felt, oh, my God, am I. I'm a monster. Because people grooming the desert sweeping the sand.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Believe me, I've had the same thought. I. Jason made some footsteps in the sand and he yelled at his caddy. He said, you missed a footprint when he was playing golf. He's a real. But Denis, you know, when I was thinking about. You were talking about the actors and asking them to have imagination and working with them on all these thoughts and these inner life and stuff. And I was thinking about the collaboration that you've had with a bunch of different actors across a bunch of your films. You've used and worked. Not used. You've worked with lots of people in different roles. I was trying to think who was. Well, certainly our friend Josh Brolin, you've worked with a lot, I think, starting in Sicario, which I want to get to. Which is an incredible. I urge anybody, if you've never seen Sicario, to please see. It's so phenomenal. Thanks. Jake Gyllenhaal, you've worked with a couple times, I think. Right. With Prisoners. Emily Blunt and then our good friend Emily.

[Jason Bateman]

You've had a lot of repeat collaborators.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

But yeah, it's all about the nature of the project. And the parts are reminders. A bit boring, but I wish I could work with all of them again. I'll do it, but it's just. But it's a thing that. Honestly, I adore working in the United States to have access to all these incredible actors. I mean, it's like. And his casting is very strange. I mean, it's a. You. You bring someone and its intuitions about the proximity of an actor and a role and you. It's a gamble in some ways. But.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. Can I go back? Yeah. Just one really quick question about the music because I thought that was interesting. You said you. You Were talking to Hannah before you started. And do you listen to cues or music before you even start thinking about how you're going to film it to get ideas, like.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Or writing.

[Sean Hayes]

You mean, do you envision stuff from listening to music or do you wait to incorporate it later?

[Will Arnett]

I'm going to be very honest every time I write or direct listening to music. And that's why I say music. I'm very sensitive to music. I absolutely love music. But it has, like. You know, I remember once, one of my first film, I was directing a specific scene, and as I was, like, alone in my bubble with my headphones listening to this fantastic piece of music, and I was saying to myself, it's gonna be amazing.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Whoa.

[Will Arnett]

It's gonna woof. It's gonna be something. It's the power of music, you know? Then you look at the scene with all the music. Like, same with writing. Sometimes I write something and I get emotional. I'm like, oh, my God, maybe I'm great. And then you read it the next morning. It's like, no, it's the music. It sounds stupid, but it sounds. But it's the truth. I cannot work with music. I work with silence. Then I try to. And silence is my friend. I love. My sets are very boring. I'm not a funny director. I'm someone who loves. Love to be in. When I get in the car in the morning, it's total silence. I need silence. I arrive on set, I need silence. And I try to protect that bubble all day long. That's where I can find my way. When there's music, I'm gone. It's too powerful. And this is why, to answer your questions, it's like, even I have music from the past movies right now.

[Jason Bateman]

I can.

[Will Arnett]

I cannot listen to this music. It's too powerful.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. You introduced me to Max Richter because I never. I never heard of him. And then I was like, what is.

[Jason Bateman]

That incredible staying with music, though, where. Where for you does the score and the sound design begins? Talk to us about that process for you. And when does it happen?

[Will Arnett]

First of all? Yeah, it has to. I try to think about the sound and the structure or the sound design as much as possible in the screenplay. And I know as I'm writing that I will need music there, there. I will create a sequence with a musical sequence. More. It's something that is embedded in the DNA of the screenplay. But then when we edit the film, there's like. I'm working with an editor, Joe Walker, who is a master. That Joe is coming from Was studied as a composer. He was a composer first. Then he did sound at the BBC as a sound editor. So where I'm going is that sound what I love. And one of the reasons I started to work with Joey, we made many movies together is that for him sound is as important as the image. And it's something that when I was making indie movies, I felt that the sound was coming at the end of the process and with very little time. And I was always kind of disappointed not having the proper time to make a real embedded sound design. And so now I try to bring the sound as early as possible. So it's like as I'm shooting there, we have sound designers that start to create specifically with sci fi, to create the sounds that will be fed to the editing room very early on. So these sounds had time to live with them and make sure that they will enter the test of time and get used to them and make sure that they are right through time. It's not just flashes that are last minute flashes. And it gives of course, more time to explore, experiment. And so the sound is something that is again as important as the image. And with Johann Johansson and Hans Zimmer, both composers were flirting, flirting close to the sound design sometimes, meaning that the music, sometimes there's like a dance that I installed between the designers and the composer that they will flirt and cross sometime the border or one of each other. And for that it needs communication.

[Jason Bateman]

But that sound design is embedded prior to you spotting with the composer and figuring out where you're going to put some of the music. So it's the sound design first then?

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, but I will say that it depends on the sequence. Sometimes I said to the team, here is Hans. We will let. Hans Zimmer is not known to be subtle. You know, when he invade the soundtrack, it means there's no. So there are some moments where we say, okay, that's the area. I said here it's going to be. We go full ans or here we go. It's trying to find the right balance between what the sequence, the scene needs. Yeah, it's about the needs. It's the movie that guides me.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

We'll be right back. Food has been a recurring topic on the show, as you know, highlighting a clear interest in what goes into our bodies. And that includes supplements that can help feel like you're functioning at your peak. Which is why you got to check out these supplements from Thorn. Thorne's got all the supplements we need to help promote and maintain our individual health goals. For me, I got the thorn vitamin D5000, which supports healthy teeth and bones and muscles as well as your cardiovascular and immune function. But also, I'm low on vitamin D, generally speaking. And also, you know, it's winter, it's cold, there's no sun. I get no sun from the hot sun. Whatever your body needs, you can start your health and wellness journey [e-mail] that's t h o r n e.com these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

[Jason Bateman]

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[Sean Hayes]

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[Jason Bateman]

And now back to the show.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Can we just touch on Sicario for another moment if we could? Because I'm. And just talk about how that came, how that came to be, how that came into you, into your purview and what sort of led you. I don't know. There's something about that film that I find I just adore so visceral.

[Will Arnett]

I've been very interested by the border between United States and Mexico. I thought it was like very meaningful place in the world about our reality about it. It was very. And I was looking for, I was reading about it, I was looking for a project and that will be for a story, something that will allow me to explore that zone and came into my hands. At one point I read a lot. But one project came called Sicario written by Taylor Sheridan.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, the great Taylor Sheridan.

[Will Arnett]

The Taylor, she is well known now for all the work he's done. But at that time it was one of his first screenplay and still today it is by far, by far one of the best screenplay I ever read. The amount of research that Taylor had done to bring that world to life. The best compliment I have about Sicario is when I meet border officers or people, policemen of the officers that people work at the border who saw Sicario and said that's the real deal. And honestly it is because of the work that Taylor had done. He had done his homeworks and when you were reading the screenplay, you knew you were in front of something that felt authentic. Very strong screenplay. I remember reading it and I was like, the screenplay was so intense. I finished screenplay, I was drained of energy. I was like, oh my God, I love it. I'm so sad that I love this so much. I will have to go in the dark. And I was just out of three very dark movies in a row and I was able to go back there, but it was exactly what I was looking for. And it's by far the movie that was the fastest process. I read the screenplay, met the studio, we got along spontaneously and we did the casting. It went bang. I was behind the camera with Roger Deakins. It was like one of the fastest project I ever made. And still to this day. It's a very nice shoot because there was like just a nice balance between the budget and the subject. And it went quite, it was a nice shoot.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah. I just want to say, jb, I want to get your point, which is I just want to touch on the great Taylor Sheridan. I again I, you can tell I, I, I never read the script, but you could tell the material was so strong. It really comes through all, you know, not just obviously the visual and the way the film is, is incredible. But also that the material was, was really strong. I think it was pretty.

[Will Arnett]

I had crazy ideas. I mean like that border shoot, that slow motion car chase at the border thing. Great ideas, great. Taylor is amazing to write cinema. Very cinematic ideas with great dialogues, great characters, but very strong sense of cinema and that I'm still grateful that I had the chance to bring that on screen.

[Jason Bateman]

That shootout you mentioned there at the border is one of the most tense things I've ever seen, still probably ever will see. And you know, there's obviously great planning that goes into something like that. Cause it's just so intricate. But I guess that's my question. How much planning did go into something like that? And just more generally when you're working and your visual taste, your aesthetic, your sense of composition and whatnot is just unmatched. And you're working with your equals in cinematography with people like Roger Deenkins and Greg Fraser. When you sit down and you start to shot design and shot list and previs and all that stuff in prep and decide how you're gonna actually photograph something. What is the relationship with cinematographers like that that are so accomplished and so in a good way, opinionated? What's the back and forth that goes there? Do you let them know kind of what you're seeing and look for them to kind of plus that or is it the other way around? Do you let them start to design things and then you let them know whether that fits inside your plan?

[Will Arnett]

A sequence like that battle sequence, for instance, has to be planned months in advance because it's a puzzle. Different part have been shot in different places. And you have to create a piece of highway with all these cars. It has to be very, very well planned according to its sun positions. And so it's storyboarded. And of course, working with someone like Roger Dickens will have a strong input. That's what I love. It's like a collaboration. I mean, it's like we will find together the right angle according to the board that I did. But I'm always open if someone has a better idea on set, that will make the shot even stronger. The thing I love working with Roger is that we both are. When we are looking for a shot, looking for the angle, not multiple angle, but one. And we work. We used to work with one camera and just making sure that. And that's. That's something that. Search for the best angle possible is something that would.

[Jason Bateman]

You're only working with one camera.

[Will Arnett]

Really, really loved on Sicario. Yes. It's a.

[Jason Bateman]

It's only one.

[Will Arnett]

Wow. No, no, it's. I. I will say it's because I'm monomaniac and it's something that Roger has. We try once to put a second camera on one and it was a disaster. I mean, you feel it. You know, it's not right. It's like it's. There's one place to put the camera and the rest is we are both on a movie like Dune, sometimes there was additional cameras. It's because of the nature of the beast. I didn't have the choice and Greg Fraser had that flexibility to. But I would say it's.

[Sean Hayes]

I have four cameras on me right now.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah. And we wish it was zero. And we wish it was zero. We wish. Is there a possibility to do zero?

[Sean Hayes]

No. Because I want to make sure we get it.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Denis, I want to say I was thinking about your films and your filmography, all the things that you've done, and they've not only have they been epic, as we discussed before, and had tremendous scope, but also you've tackled a lot of. I don't want to say that they're dark, but there is darkness there. You challenge people in the sort of the darker realms. Certainly some of your earlier films in your Canadian films that these guys might not know about, but Polytechnique and Cindy. I'm thinking about Polytechnique, which is about the Montreal Massacre, which was a terrible incident in Montreal in 1989. I was in Montreal at that time.

[Will Arnett]

You were?

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, yeah. And I was living there. And end up I. Those films, or as I mentioned before, Prisoners and Enemy. And then you get into Even Sakari. These are heavier subjects that you're tackling. My question is, when's the romcom?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

Actually my first feature film was some kind of a rom com.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Was it or not?

[Will Arnett]

Yes. It's not a good one, but it was.

[Jason Bateman]

She did lose her life at the end, but actually he dies.

[Sean Hayes]

Wow.

[Will Arnett]

Hopeless. But it is one of the reasons. When I did Sicario, I knew Arrival was coming after. And I did Sicario knowing that I will make a movie with more light. And because I was like, it's true that I had made a series of film that was pretty violent and dark. And that is. There's a toll to this. There's like a weight. And I needed to go toward. And I think that science fiction also helped me to go towards something like looking in the future. Something that's more. There's more light there, I feel right now. So it's a.

[Jason Bateman]

Please don't stop making the dark stuff too, because there is an up.

[Will Arnett]

I know.

[Jason Bateman]

I was going to say there's an uplift and excitement watching a filmmaker do things at your level, no matter what the genre, what the mood is.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Jb, would you agree that, like, if somebody says, there's the new Denis Villeneuve film coming out, you're like, doesn't matter what's about. Where do I line up?

[Will Arnett]

Thank you, gentlemen. You're very generous with me.

[Sean Hayes]

I'm going to shit talk you when this is over.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, speaking of the. Of the earlier stuff, let's ask Brolin.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Let's ask Brolin for the real deal.

[Jason Bateman]

Are there any films. Are there any films from the beginning of your career that you would enjoy perhaps reshooting nowadays, knowing what you know now and do, not that you have any regrets, but anything which. I should phrase it differently, which film from your past do you think would be most fun to redo now that you know things now that you didn't know then?

[Will Arnett]

Wow, that's a nice question. Do you know that the past movies are like, I'm the father of those movies? I. Yeah, it's like I see movies sometimes as a selfie of yourself, you know, when you look at pictures. Picture of yourself when you were a teenager. The shame.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

The hair doing the clothes.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, yeah. And I have that relationship with my past work. You know, sometimes I look at it and I. Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally. That's the truth. They say, I would like to go back to my teenage years. Nope.

[Sean Hayes]

Hey, how do you. How do you, Denis, how do you take care of yourself with these massive months long shoots?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Health wise or honestly, that.

[Will Arnett]

What, what, what? Very simply, that I need good hour sleeping hours. And one, one thing that I did on the past two movies, which was like advice in fact, from Ridley Scott, because I said, I asked Russia, Ridley, how do you do it? How do you. How can you make. Say when I make a movie. Ridley make three movies and he has a very high pacing. And it's just the out to make sure that your hours. Shooting hours are regular, that there's no. And so I. We do what we call French hours, meaning we shoot 10 hours a day, but without break. No lunch, no breaks. So it means that the hours are always the same. You're always is start the day at the same time and end the day. No, over time. So it's like it creates a balance in your schedule. So you're not all content.

[Jason Bateman]

You do that on every job?

[Will Arnett]

On the past jobs. Yes, yes, yes. I didn't do that on Blade Runner and I almost died.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, yeah. How are you on night shoots? Night shoots will kill people. I mean, literally, unfortunately, at times.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah, it's about to create a balance in the schedule, trying to find a balance. So you will protect the crew from being exhausted. Because for the people who don't know about shooting, it's just that the nature of the structure of the schedule because of the turnaround of the actors, sometimes you have. You end up starting your day in the middle of the afternoon and finishing late at night. So it's like being in constant jet lag. And it's not good for creativity.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah, it's terrible for creativity. It's terrible, terrible, terrible.

[Sean Hayes]

Knocking on, knocking on an actor's trailer at three in the morning. We're ready for you.

[Denis Villeneuve]

When they say, they go, hey, guys, it's lunch and it's 12 midnight. And you're like, what do you mean lunch?

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, this is not lunch.

[Will Arnett]

I'm sorry, are you land on set at 6pm and say, hey, good morning. I said cut the. Cut the crack.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, exactly.

[Jason Bateman]

Danny, aside from the, from the.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Are you a Montreal Canadiens fan? Is that what you're going to ask him?

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah, exactly. Well, it was part of it. It's like, aside from the good sleep, what's the Other thing that you do to really sort of decompress and get away from the incredibly, you know, immersive work directing is. Do you do. Do you watch something silly on tv? Are you a sports fan?

[Denis Villeneuve]

Do you watch hockey?

[Will Arnett]

No, but as I'm shooting, honestly, when I shoot, I make a film. It's a 24 hours, seven days a week commitment. There's no way to relax. For me, it's. I'm 100% present to the project. So there's no. Specifically a movie of the sci fi movies. It's every second. Not even sci fi. Any movies. There's no. The way I will recover from a movie is to go back home in Canada, in the forest, go with my family, spend time with the kids, with family, and that's where I recharge my batteries. But during a shoot. During a shoot, there's no moment where I can. I know that. And it's that. Yeah.

[Sean Hayes]

And because of that dedication you will now have made. It will go down in history. Dune as a franchise. Just like you loved Star wars as a franchise as a kid, you created a franchise that will last forever in the minds of these kids.

[Will Arnett]

I would say I didn't do it thinking about the franchise. For me, it was. I was making two movies, of course, and it was not. There was no. Because franchise. For me, it's always like something that is linked with commerce or like there's a plan for.

[Sean Hayes]

Okay, three great movies. Yeah, three great movies that are connected.

[Will Arnett]

No, but it's not. It's not bad. It's just that I was not saying to myself, okay, I'm starting a franchise.

[Denis Villeneuve]

It's your goal.

[Will Arnett]

I'm adapting this book in two movies and see what happens after.

[Sean Hayes]

But for the fans, we're so happy you're making three of them.

[Denis Villeneuve]

But Sean, not only that, but also. Does it ever occur to you, not unlike you looking at your father's newspaper and saying, please take me to this movie, it must be kind of cool knowing that there's somewhere there is a kid who said to his parents, please take me to Dune, Please take me to Dune too, who 10 years from now says, I want to study film, who makes a film with people they know and makes a big, huge film, and they do it because they saw Dune when they were 7, 8, 9, 10 to be inspiring in that way. I think it must be very.

[Will Arnett]

I don't know if it had happened or something, but it would be moving to think that people could be inspired. One thing for sure is that I made those movies. We Were talking about darkness and violence earlier. The movies were made for PG13 instead of rated R. It was the first time apart from Arrival. All my other movies are for us. This one I insisted. I agreed with the studio also to make it PG13 because I wanted the movie to be accessible to a younger audience that would have the same age as when I read the book. So I thought it was inspiring for.

[Sean Hayes]

Me and adults like me who have the brains of a 13 year old.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

At best.

[Will Arnett]

Yeah. But for me, I like the idea that those movies are taking themselves seriously. Meaning that they are sci fi that are not. That doesn't apologize to be sci fi or I love. I remember when I saw the Empire Strikes Back when I was 13 years old. The impact of that movie on me. 12 years old.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Oh God. Yeah.

[Will Arnett]

I thought the darkness of it. I felt that someone was talking to me as I was. Was trusting me as a kid.

[Sean Hayes]

And. And when Darth Vader said I am your father, I was like, what would that feel like inside, Joe?

[Jason Bateman]

Well, Denny, you are. You seem as kind as you are talented. I. I just. I can't thank you enough for talking to us three ding dongs for an hour.

[Will Arnett]

It was a pleasure to. To chat with you this. This morning. A pleasure. Thank you very much for the invitation. And you. Thank you for your generosity. You as well. That means the world.

[Jason Bateman]

Well, thank you, sir. Congratulations on all your great work. Please keep it coming.

[Will Arnett]

Take care. See you later.

[Jason Bateman]

All right.

[Will Arnett]

Good luck, Sean.

[Sean Hayes]

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

[Jason Bateman]

Bye. Well, you got. You got blessed by the great Danny Villan of. Sean, I think your prospects look good.

[Denis Villeneuve]

He just said keep. Basically like hope you live.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, yeah.

[Denis Villeneuve]

From the greatest Denis Villeneuve.

[Sean Hayes]

He's. Yeah. I mean, hey, hey, if you're.

[Denis Villeneuve]

If you're. If you're out there and you're not familiar. And again, I know that we do like. We compliment our guests a lot because we have people on that we like and we respect and we get shit for it. Sometimes you guys just. All you do is compliment. Well, we like to compliment people who are really good at what they do. And if you're not familiar who Denis Villeneuve is and you're not familiar with his films for some reason, I really. This is true. I urge you to go and watch some of his films. All of his films, his Canadian films that he made and his current. He's just an incredible. I mean, JB is a director, right?

[Jason Bateman]

Just stunning. Yeah. It like he's. He's not there. There aren't many in his league. I. I think it's probably about. It ain't deeper than 10, and it's probably closer to 5.

[Denis Villeneuve]

No. And again, he made Brolin look good. You know what I mean?

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, it's very hard to do.

[Denis Villeneuve]

I mean, think about that. Shows what a filmmaker he is, I.

[Sean Hayes]

Think how many cameras that takes off the.

[Denis Villeneuve]

You know.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah, but he's really cool. He's so cool.

[Will Arnett]

Cool.

[Sean Hayes]

Yeah. And you can tell he's. He's in charge, which I love.

[Jason Bateman]

Canadians are cool, right? Yeah. The accent, I think he needs to work on a little bit. He's from Des Moines, but I think.

[Sean Hayes]

No, he's not from Des Moines. No.

[Jason Bateman]

No. Dummy.

[Sean Hayes]

God.

[Denis Villeneuve]

He's. He's from. I think he's from Montreal. Yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. Quebec.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Well, he's in Montreal. Is in Quebec, but yeah.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah. He's not related to Jacques Villeneuve or Gilles Villeneuve of.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Sure.

[Sean Hayes]

But I don't know who those people are.

[Jason Bateman]

Those are Formula One drivers.

[Will Arnett]

They were.

[Sean Hayes]

Oh, excellent. Wonderful.

[Jason Bateman]

They were.

[Sean Hayes]

You know. You know what?

[Jason Bateman]

Here he comes. What's up?

[Sean Hayes]

I love that he brought Close Encounters up, you know.

[Jason Bateman]

Oh, yeah?

[Sean Hayes]

Why is that? Well, because when I remember that one moment when you all saw the movie.

[Jason Bateman]

Yeah.

[Denis Villeneuve]

This is going to be so lazy. This is honestly when the. This is going to be so freaking.

[Sean Hayes]

When the little kid is standing there, are waving, waving to the aliens as they're leaving. He actually says out loud.

[Jason Bateman]

What does he say by. By.

[Sean Hayes]

Nice on your nice buddy.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Smart.

[Will Arnett]

Worse.

[Denis Villeneuve]

Smart.

[Jason Bateman]

Less.

[Denis Villeneuve]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Sean Hayes]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Sean Hayes]

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[Denis Villeneuve]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Will Arnett]

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[Jason Bateman]

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[Denis Villeneuve]

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