Dune: part two hits theaters this weekend and brings with it giant sandworms, Timothée Chalamet in a still suit, and the return of desert power. The sequel to Denis Villeneuve Dunereleased in 2021, will be the first major science fiction blockbuster of 2024.
Here’s everything you might want to know by the time your butt hits the theater seat.
Is Dune: Part Two any good?
“In Dune: part two,” says our own Austen Goslin, “Villeneuve has matured as a filmmaker. The film is no less impressive than his previous work, perhaps even more impressive. But these moments of visual splendor often come and go with little fanfare, supporting rather than distracting from the character and action of a scene. Villeneuve has never had such overt visual confidence. It is a clear statement that no single visual image has to be the defining moment of the film, because the film is surrounded by a thousand other beautiful, breathtaking images that somehow all seem to be perfectly aligned.”
Does Dune: Part Two have a credit scene?
Dune: part two has no extra scenes in the end credits, so you can just sit back and enjoy the Hans Zimmer score.
Can you remind me what happened in the first Dune?
Photo: Chiabella James/Warner Bros.
2021 Dune ended with a secret Imperial army retaking Arakkis for the Harkonnens. Paul and his mother escaped the slaughter to take refuge with the native Fremen tribes – but if you want more details, we’ve got a full summary.
Who’s new to the cast of Dune: Part Two?
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
Many actors from the original are back, such as Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban Harkonnen, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen , and Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam. (And yes, Zendaya is in more of these.)
New to the cast is Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis), who plays Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, Baron Harkonnen’s cruel and cunning cousin – and the Oscar-nominated Florence Pugh (Midsummer), who plays Princess Irulan Corrino, a Bene Gesserit adept and daughter of Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV. Oscar winner Christopher Walken plays the emperor himself.
Lea Seydoux (Crimes of the future) plays Bene Gesserit adept Lady Margot, and Anya Taylor-Joy (The menu) Also occurs.
Are the actors really mad at each other?
A small industry of “accounts dedicated to lip reading and people claiming to be experts at decoding body language” are benefiting greatly from Chalamet, Zendaya, Pugh and Butler’s press tour. But rumors of their hostility may be exaggerated.
Will there be a Dune: part three?
Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
We don’t know for sure, but director Denis Villeneuve has expressed his excitement about continuing the story Dune past Part twoby adapting the next novel in the Frank Herbert series, Dune Messiah.
Villeneuve told Polygon that he is still processing the experience of making it Dune: part twobut that he and Dune And Dune: part two co-writer Jon Spaihts is currently working on the screenplay.
“The more time passes, the more I think I will have the desire to do it, if we have a strong scenario,” Villeneuve said. “We are working on it now and we are inspired. I think we have something strong, but when I’m going to do it – is it my next film, or the film after that, I don’t know. I will know when the screenplay will be ready.”