Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has responded to Stilgar's scenes being turned into memes following the movie's release.
The popular character, who is played by Javier Bardem, began circulating on social media after coining the Fremen's term "Lisan al Gaib" to describe protagonist Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as a prophesied messiah.
The quote has since featured in a number of memes online, which showcase Stilgar's animated reaction as he watches Paul ride a sandworm for the first time.
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Speaking to The New York Times, Villeneuve explained how "happy" he is to learn about the fans' reaction to the "lovable" character.
"I am very happy when you say that he is a tragic figure. For me, he is the most tragic figure of all. The idea to bring humour to Stilgar was to make him lovable, to feel the humanity in that character," he said.
"He's not an austere figure, he has a big heart. But his beliefs, his faith, his reactions bring humour – and that is something I love about making a sci-fi film, because I can talk about that without offending people because it's a fake religion. I designed all the prayers myself, so I know it's fake.
"I find Stilgar very funny. And when people laugh, I'm happy because that was the intention."
Related: Dune: Part Two is now available to watch at home
The sequel, which is based on the second half of the novel Dune by Frank Herbert, grossed a staggering $494.7 million globally, following its successful debut in March.
Fans are eager for news of a third film, which could be based on Herbert's second novel Dune: Messiah, though this hasn't been confirmed yet.
Speaking to Digital Spy, Villeneuve previously teased: "We are in early stages. We are in the right direction. There's a lot of work that has been done, but there's a lot of work that needs to be done in order to have something solid to shoot."
Dune: Part Two is out now in cinemas and is also available to buy or rent in the UK from Prime Video, iTunes, Microsoft Store and more.
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Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.
