Dune: 2, the second part of the critically acclaimed Dune, the epic science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve, is set to be released on November 3, 2023. Villeneuve who co-wrote the screenplay with Jon Spaihts. In this second of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel Dune by Frank Herbert and follows Paul Atreides as he follows his destiny to unite with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to win the war against the oppressive House Harkonnen.

The Basic story

The movie immediately picks up the journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the Harkonnen who destroyed his family. The movie covers the second part of the book Dune, wherein Paul Atreides has fully embraced his role as the Fremen’s prophesied leader and has taken control of Arrakis and its spice production. He defeats the Emperor’s forces and the Harkonnens in a final battle, and takes control of the Empire. He also marries Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s daughter, to solidify his claim to the throne. However, he is aware that his actions have set in motion a violent religious jihad that will spread across the galaxy, a danger which only he can see. It remains to be seen how closely the movie follows the story of the book.

Continuing from Part 1

The first part Dune (2021), was well received by critics and audiences for its scope and ambition, and ultimately a visually thrilling adaptation of a source material which has proven unwieldy to previous efforts. Part Two was filmed on the same locations used for the first movie, including Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, and Italy. It was shared dueing CinemaCon 2023 that Denis Villeneuve shot the film entirely in IMAX, as compared to 40% of the first movie using this larger aspect ratio. This is purportedly being done to make the big sequences look even bigger.

Cast of Dune 2

Dune: Part Two has a star-studded cast with many returning actors from the first movie, including Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban Harkonnen, and Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. The sequel also has several exciting new additions to the cast list, including Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot and Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV.

Plot reveals

Some plot reveals from the trailer footage of Dune 2 confirms that Gurney Halleck is alive. The fate of Josh Brolin’s character was left in question for moviegoers due to the events of the attack on House Atreides led by the Harkonnens and the Sardaukar. The romance between Paul and Chani is shown developing, meanwhile Florence’s Pugh’s Princess Irulan mentions “The End Of House Atreides”. Princess Irulan is to play a major role, both politically, and with relation to Paul’s character. Lady Jessica’s new look with blue eyes and face tattoos also confirms her evolution to Reverend Mother for the Fremen on Arrakis.

In Conclusion

An interesting quote from Villeneuve points to his intent to move the story around when compared to the original. In his words “When you adapt [books], you have to make bold choices in order for the things to come to life. And I think that was the best way to introduce this world to a wide audience. Now in the second one, I want to have more flexibility, and it will be possible to go a little bit deeper into some of these details”.

Villeneuve has already promised that Dune: Part Two will have even more action than the first, so it should be quite an exciting experience for audiences.