“Dune: Second Part” by Denis Villeneuve is announced in our theaters on November 1, 2023. While waiting to return to Arrakis with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, we take stock of this sequel event.
Released in our theaters on September 15, 2021, Dune by Denis Villeneuve conquered French spectators who were 3.1 million to go to the cinema. Internationally, this new adaptation of Frank Herbert’s cult novel (which already gave rise to a film by David Lynch in 1984) brought in 402 million dollars for a budget of 165 million.
The story follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a young man as talented as he is brilliant, destined to experience an extraordinary destiny that is beyond him. Because if he wants to preserve the future of his family and his people, he will have to go to the most dangerous planet in the universe – the only one capable of providing the most precious resource in the world, capable of multiplying the power of humanity. As evil forces vie for control of this planet, only those who overcome their fear will survive…
A story conceived as a diptych
From the start, Denis Villeneuve thought of his adaptation as a diptych. He also wanted to shoot the two parts successively, but had to give it up for various reasons.
The Canadian filmmaker thus declares to variety at the time of promotion: “I wanted, from the start, to shoot both parts at the same time. But for various reasons that couldn’t be done, and I accepted the challenge of shooting the first part and then waiting to see if the movie had enough excitement. When I made it, I really put all my passion into it, in case it was the only one. But I’m optimistic.”
And the director was right to believe it since the filming of Dune: Part Two began on July 18, 2022 and ended on December 13. Denis Villeneuve’s team notably installed its cameras in Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Italy and Hungary.
An end of filming that Timothée Chalamet immortalized by posting a photo alongside his father.
And if Dune is divided into two parts, Denis Villeneuve made it clear during CinemaCon 2023 in Las Vegas, that the two films would be quite different.
The second part is an action movie.
He explained thus:The first part is more of a contemplative film. The second part is an action, epic and warrior movie. It is much denser. We visited all the new filming locations because I didn’t want to have a feeling of repetition. There are only new sets. Everything is new…”
Enough to make you want to return to Arrakis!
Warner Bros. Florence Pugh
Who is it with?
On the casting side, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling and Dave Bautista are joined by Christopher Walken in the role of Emperor Shaddam IV, Léa Seydoux who plays Lady Margot, described in the novel as having “a perfect figure”, “grey-green eyes” and “golden and light hair” and Florence Pugh who portrays Princess Irulan Corrino – the latter had to be separated from her accomplice Timothée Chalamet during the filming.
Princess Irulan is the daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV. After the victory of Paul Atreides against his father, she finds herself forced to marry Paul so that he can accede to the throne of the Lion of the Imperium. But it is only an arranged marriage since Paul is in love with Chani (Zendaya).
Florence Pugh succeeds Virginia Madsen who played the role in David Lynch’s film.
Austin Butler (Elvis), for his part, plays Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, the nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Skarsgård). This villainous role was held by Sting in the version directed by David Lynch in 1984.
Warner Bros.
Austin Butler
What does it talk about ?
Written by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts with help from Craig Mazin, screenwriter of the hit series The Last of Us, Dune 2 picks up where the first installment left off.
Paul Atreides joins forces with Chani and the Fremen to lead the revolt against those who wiped out his family. Haunted by dark premonitions, he finds himself faced with the greatest of dilemmas: choosing between the love of his life and the fate of the universe.
WARNING THIS PART CONTAINS POTENTIAL SPOILERS
If the feature is faithful to the book, we will see Paul, considered the Messiah by the Fremen, change his name to be called Muad’Dib. He will also develop his powers in contact with the Spice on Dune and learn many things, including a major revelation about his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). Which will gain importance thanks to the faculties acquired from the Bene Gesserit, taking the title of Reverend Mother.
However, one can wonder how Denis Villeneuve will manage to put Chani at the center of the narrative in which Paul will also have a revelation as Kwisatz Haderach, and will lead the revolt against the Harkonnens and Emperor Shaddam IV.
END OF SPOILERS
Warner Bros.
Timothée Chalamet
And Denis Villeneuve will take the time to tell us this story since according to World of Real, the feature film would last 3h15, where the first opus lasted 2h35. But by the time the film is released, changes could be made in the editing and affect the final duration of Dune 2.
And after ?
Spectators will return to Arrakis from November 1st. If at the start Denis Villeneuve had decided to divide his adaptation of the novel into two parts, the director finally put forward the hypothesis of making a trilogy of it.
Logically, not by stretching the events of the sequel to give birth to an additional opus, but by seizing another book by Frank Herbert: “Dune’s Messiah” appeared in 1969, and whose plot takes place several years after the end of the first book.
In this sequel – which has already given rise to the Children of Dune mini-series in which James McAvoy played Leto Atreides II, the son of Paul and Chani – Paul has conquered almost the entire universe and must face many enemies. while protecting her twins Leto and Ghanima.
In March 2022, Denis Villeneuve thus explained to the site Collider : “I could consider a third film and do the adaptation of Dune’s Messiah, which would complete Paul Atreides’ story, that might make sense. But every movie is like a monster, and I can only do one at a time. If I survive Dune: Part Two, I might do Messiah“.
To date, these are only guesses since nothing has yet been confirmed by the studio.