Director Denis Villeneuve recently offered an update on Dune: Part Two. The highly anticipated sequel to the 2021 sci-fi epic, Dune, will explore the second half of Frank Herbert’s eponymous novel and is expected to come out in October 2023. Denis Villeneuve has already promised a more fun and action-packed sequel, unlike the first one, which focused mainly on introducing the fascinating characters and the world of Dune to the audience. Speaking to Empire, Villeneuve confirmed that the screenplay for Dune: Part Two is finished, and shooting will commence later this summer.

Dune centers on Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), heir to the noble House Atreides, as his family is thrust into a war for the deadly and inhospitable desert planet Arrakis. House Harkonnen, another great house in the Dune universe, initially controls the Spice mining on Arrakis and serves as the primary antagonist in the first film. Spice, or melange, is the most precious resource in existence. Denis Villeneuve revealed that fans can expect to see more Harkonnens in Dune 2.

“We are supposed to shoot by the end of the summer. I will say it is mostly designed. The thing that helps us right now is that it’s the first time I’ve revisited a universe. So I’m working with the same crew; everybody knows what to do, we know what it will look like. The movie will be more challenging, but we know where we are stepping. And the screenplay is written. So I feel confident. Frankly, the only big unknown for me right now is the pandemic.”

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While Dune: Part One mainly focused on Paul’s journey, Part Two will introduce more characters, especially the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV and Feyd-Rautha, the cruel and treacherous nephew of Baron Harkonnen. Several characters from part one will also have a bigger role to play, including Zendaya and Javier Bardem. Hopefully, all goes well, and the pandemic doesn’t serve up any more surprises as fans eagerly await Dune: Part Two.

“It’s like a chess game. Some new characters will be introduced in the second part and a decision I made very early on was that this first part would be more about Paul Atreides and the Bene Gesserit, and his experience of being in contact for the first time with a different culture. Second part, there will be much more Harkonnen stuff.”

Dune is One of The Best Movies of 2021

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Dune was released last October to rave reviews and has grossed around $400 million worldwide, on par with some of Marvel’s biggest hits of the year, Eternals and Black Widow. Releasing simultaneously in theaters and on streaming, Dune also broke HBO Max viewership records. The film features an A-list star cast comprising Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem. Add to that an imposing score by Hans Zimmer, stunning cinematography by Greig Fraser (Rogue One, The Batman), and Denis Villeneuve at the helm, Dune, was destined to be amazing. But the film’s ability to recoup its budget was doubted by many.

Dune is based on arguably the most famous work of science-fiction ever, and predictably, fans had high expectations from the film. But Dune managed to exceed expectations, delivering a faithful adaptation of a dense and complex book. However, Dune only adapts the first half of the book to convincingly tell the story. The result was a slow-paced movie, low on action, that many critics believed would disappoint at the box office. But the audience proved otherwise. Dune captivated moviegoers with its breathtaking visuals and the enthralling world that appears both ancient and futuristic at times. Hopefully, the sequel will also replicate the success of Dune.

Dune: Part Two will be released exclusively in theaters on October 20, 2023.