David Dastmalchian has teased what to expect from Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune, describing it as “like nothing you’ve seen before”.

The actor plays the role of Piter De Vries in the upcoming sci-fi flick, based on the classic 1965 novel by Frank Herbert.

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Speaking about Dune in an exclusive interview with NME, Dastmalchian said: “The scope and magnitude of this film is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. And yet it has this ability to immediately hone in on the details of the story through the performances.

“In my opinion, it balances these extremes in a way that I’ve never seen done before. And I really hope everybody goes to see it in IMAX.”

His character is a “mentat” who has been trained to use his brain like a computer for forbidden purposes. “There’s endless calculation going on in [Piter’s] mind about how to undermine his opponent in any circumstance without any concern for their wellbeing, humanity, feelings or any pain or suffering that he may inflict in the achievement of his goal,” Dastmalchian said.

“He’s a human being, but he’s also a twisted mentat. And so for him, if anything, there’s a sort of curiosity in the pain and suffering that his work might inflict. It’s unnerving and haunting to take that on. It’s terrifying.”

Dune also stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa and Charlotte Rampling.

It’s the third time that a screen adaptation of Dune has been attempted, following a 1984 movie version by David Lynch and a three-part miniseries in 2000 starring William Hurt.

There’s high hopes, however, considering Villeneuve’s track record, helming acclaimed films Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario and 2013’s Prisoners.

Dune releases in cinemas on October 22, while US audiences will also be able to stream it via HBO Max.