How to Pronounce Denis Villeneuve's Name (We've Been Doing It Wrong All Along)
French names are hard to pronounce, huh?
Summary
- After Dune, he has become a household name.
- But this name is almost impossible to pronounce correctly unless you speak French.
- With our short guide, you will be able to talk about Denis Villeneuve like a pro.
For over two decades, his name has been popping up in the media here and there. And this year, with the release of Dune: Part Two (arguably his best movie to date), he has become a global household name. But still, everyone pronounces this name wrong.
Denis Villeneuve is a Canadian filmmaker with French roots (the surname is based on a toponym meaning New City), which explains why his name is so difficult for English speakers to pronounce. We're used to automatically applying English pronunciation rules where we shouldn't.
That's how in various posts, discussions and interviews Denis Villeneuve becomes DEH-NUHS VILLENOOV, VELLENERVE, VILLENOOWAEVEY, VILLENNOIYWVEE or even VILLENOOWAEVUH. It has become something of a meme in modern pop culture. Well, if you are reading this article, congratulations, your days of butchering the name of one of the best modern film directors are over.
The Correct Pronunciation
Who better to explain the pronunciation of a difficult name than the bearer of that name himself? Here's how Denis Villeneuve introduces himself on screen (kudos to a YouTuber for compiling this helpful six-second guide).
As you can hear, the S in the name is silent and the emphasis is on the second syllable - Deh-Nee. As for the surname, it's pretty simple, too. Ville rhymes with Bill and Neuve has only one vowel sound, somewhere between Eww (disgust) and Oov (hoove). Say it with us - Deh-Nee Vill-Newv. Now you are finally ready to discuss Dune with your friends.
What’s Next For Deh-Nee Vill-Newv?
Now that we're free to discuss the career of Denis Villeneuve and need some practice anyway, let's talk about what's next for the genius filmmaker. What other amazing project will he be premiering in the future?
All Dune fans will be happy to know that Villeneuve is in the process of writing the third film based on Dune Messiah, the second book in Frank Herbert's famous series. That means we'll be reunited with Timothée Chalamet (another celebrity with a hard-to-pronounce name) as Paul Atreides, this time sitting on an Emperor's throne. Unfortunately, no release date has been set just yet.
Other projects Villeneuve's fans can't wait to see are the historical drama Cleopatra, based on Stacy Schiff's biography, and an adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's sci-fi novel Rendezvous with Rama, set in the future where humans try to explore a giant alien ship that has entered the solar system.
Additionally, in April of this year, Variety reported that Villeneuve was in talks to direct and produce a movie based on Annie Jacobsen's Nuclear War: A Scenario, a chilling non-fiction book about a hypothetical first nuclear strike against the U.S. and the standard American military protocol for such an event. Sounds like something right out of Villeneuve's playbook, right?
Source: Variety.