“I get paychecks for both”: Javier Bardem Did Dune 2 and The Little Mermaid for the Same Reason

When Javier Bardem’s choice of films was prompted by his own family.

Javier Bardem is currently riding the success of his latest film, Dune 2. The Spanish actor is a well-known face within the film fraternity, and he has delivered several noteworthy performances throughout his career. Bardem’s prowess as an actor is irrefutable. With every role, he has exhibited his acting range and grasp over the characters he has played.

Bardem also has an Oscar award in the Best Supporting Actor category for No Country for Old Men. However, the actor does have a lovely way when it comes to choosing his scripts, such as the Dune series and Disney’s Little Mermaid.

Javier Bardem reveals how he chooses his scripts

Javier Bardem‘s stature as an actor has grown over the years, even if he had to struggle to get to where he is at present. He was nearly typecast as the brawny s*x symbol, but that did not stop him from playing roles that he felt connected to.

Javier Bardem’s latest movie is Denis Villeneuve‘s second installment in the Dune series. He returned to play the role of Stilgar, the leader of the Fremen. Bardem has been winning accolades ever since the movie came out, and even fans have taken to social media to turn him into the king of memes.
Bardem reprised his role as Stilgar in Dune 2 (Source: Dune 2)

As incredible an actor as Bardem is, he is also an amazing father. The Vicky Cristina Barcelona star’s children can attest to it.

Javier Bardem made an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s podcast last year. He touched on a variety of subjects and made some interesting revelations, the most interesting of which was, of course, how he chose his scripts now.

Bardem revealed why he chose to play Stilgar (Source: Dune)
The actor revealed that he chose to play Stilgar in Dune due to his son. On the other hand, his daughter wanted him to play King Triton in The Little Mermaid, so he could not refuse her request. “I do ‘Dune’ for him, I do ‘The Little Mermaid’ for her, and I get the paychecks for both,” he told O’Brien.

How did both Dune 2 and The Little Mermaid perform?

The second installment of Dune has become a massive success at the box office. Even though the film is still in its opening week, it has been raking in the moolah.

So far, Dune 2 has grossed approximately $217 million around the world, (via Collider) and the numbers will only rise in the upcoming days. In addition to carefully curating the strategy around its release, positive word of mouth has done wonders for this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel.

While Denis Villeneuve might have taken creative liberties with this project, they have paid off. Fans have been very receptive towards the film, praising every aspect of his epic.
Dune 2 has been a massive success so far (Source: Dune 2)
The Little Mermaid was a live-action remake of the 1989 film. The film grossed almost $119 million in its opening weekend domestically. Unfortunately, the overseas market was not as receptive. It finally ended its run with $560 million at the box office.