“Dune” released nearly three years ago on October 22, 2021, to widespread praise and success. Now “Dune: Part Two” is being released on March 1, 2024, and is set to continue adapting the story of the famous sci-fi books.
Inverse editor Hoai-Tran Bui posted on X that “DUNE: PART TWO is a triumph. Even more immense than the first, but much more intimate — Denis Villeneuve manages to streamline the more alienating second half of the book into a riveting, action-packed epic. TWO TOWERS-level mastery of battle sequences. Zendaya is the star.”
The film is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, brief strong language, and some suggestive material. The director of the first Dune, Denis Villeneuve, is returning for the sequel. The film was written by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, the same group which did the first barring Eric Roth.
Villeneuve said in a press conference last year that “For me, this film is much better than Part One. There’s something more alive in it. There’s a relationship to the characters. I was trying to reach for an intensity and a quality of emotions that I didn’t reach with Part One and that I did reach with Part Two. I’m not saying the film is perfect, but I’m much more happy with Part Two than I was with Part One. I can not wait to share it with the fans and the moviegoers.”
The sequel’s blurb reads, “Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while seeking revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the universe, he must prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”
The film is also set to finally introduce the Emperor on screen, played by Christopher Walken, and his daughter, played by Florence Pugh, along with other new characters. Dune 2 will run at two hours, 46 minutes, two minutes shorter than the original.
Steven Weintraub, Editor-In-Chief of Collider, posted on X ” In a shock to no one, I absolutely loved #Dune2. Incredible filmmaking. Brilliant score. Entire cast was excellent. My only complaint was I wish it was longer. Not joking around. The movie is 2hr and 40 min(?) and I would have been happy to watch another hour.”
While a rewatch of the first film would be beneficial, available to stream on Max and Hulu, a short recap is that Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), and his noble family are given the planet Arrakis, which is the lucrative source of spice, key to space travel in this futuristic universe. His mother (Rebecca Ferguson), a member of the magical Bengesseret group, receives a prophecy that Paul is the chosen one, set to save the galaxy. On Arrakis, Paul experiences dreams of himself with the mysterious native Fremen. Eventually Paul’s noble family is betrayed by the Emperor of the Universe, who supports the Atreides rivals, the Harkonnens, in taking over Arrakis. Paul’s father (Oscar Issac) is killed and he flees into the desert with his mother, joining up with the Fremen at the end of the film, specifically connecting with Chani (Zendaya).
