We’re headed again to Arrakis.
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is due for a sequel in 2024. The movie first debuted in cinemas and on HBO Max in October 2021, however it was at all times the director’s plan to adapt Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel as a two-part saga. “That is solely the start,” he beforehand said in a press release.
Right here, we’re rounding up what we find out about Dune: Half Two to date.
Who’s within the forged?
Timothée Chalamet will as soon as once more star as Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson as his mom, Woman Jessica. Zendaya will reprise her function as Chani, a Fremen girl Paul first encounters in his desires. Others anticipated to return embody Javier Bardem as Fremen chief Stilgar, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, and Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen.
Florence Pugh is reportedly in talks for the function of Princess Irulan, daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV, who despatched the Atreides household to Arrakis. Based on The Hollywood Reporter, as of March 8, the deal is just not but ultimate as Pugh is determining her schedule and desires to overview the newest draft of the script, which continues to be being written. If confirmed, this may mark a reunion between Pugh and Chalamet, who each starred in 2019’s Little Ladies.
Christopher Walken has been forged as Emperor Shaddam IV. In the meantime, Elvis star Austin Butler will play villain Feyd-Rautha, nephew of Baron Harkonnen and Paul’s rival. (The New York Times studies that he is already began “intensive knife-fighting coaching” for the function.)
Léa Seydoux is in negotiations to play Woman Margot, a important ally to Paul in his battle in opposition to Home Harkonnen, Variety studies.
When will Dune: Half Two be launched?
The movie will now hit theaters on March 15, 2024, in response to The Hollywood Reporter. The shift is because of the ongoing actors strike, which prevents actors from selling their tasks, and the forged is chock-full of stars who would lend their celeb standing in selling this sequel.
The discharge date has been modified a number of instances. It was beforehand slated for November 3, 2023 after being moved from November 17. Earlier than that it was scheduled for October 20, in response to Variety. Whereas the primary Dune started streaming the identical day it arrived in cinemas, it’s unclear if the identical will occur for the sequel now that COVID-19 protocols have eased up. Within the meantime, Dune is now streaming on HBO Max.
Watch Dune
The movie’s official Twitter account confirmed on July 18, 2022 that manufacturing was formally underway. “We’re rolling. Manufacturing on Dune: Half Two has begun,” the caption learn. The submit additionally tagged Austin Butler, confirming his casting within the sequel.
This content material is imported from twitter. You could possibly discover the identical content material in one other format, otherwise you could possibly discover extra data, at their site.
Can I watch a trailer?
You positive can. The primary trailer on Could 3 to a lot fanfare, not lengthy after the first footage debuted at CinemaCon. The preview reveals Chalamet’s Paul falling for Zendaya’s Chani and, on a extra formidable observe, driving a sandworm, to the delight of the Fremen. Additionally, catch glimpses of recent forged members together with (a really bald) Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, and Léa Seydoux.
This content material is imported from youTube. You could possibly discover the identical content material in one other format, otherwise you could possibly discover extra data, at their site.
The official trailer adopted on June 29, teasing: Paul and Chani’s rising romance, a reunion between Paul and Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck, a brawl with Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha, and an enormous warfare for Arrakis. Test it out beneath.
This content material is imported from youTube. You could possibly discover the identical content material in one other format, otherwise you could possibly discover extra data, at their site.
What is going to Dune: Half Two about?
Even with a two and a half hour runtime, Dune half one left us asking some large questions, like, why didn’t we get extra Zendaya? What is going to occur to Paul and his mom? Will there be extra big sand worms?
First, let’s backtrack. (Spoilers forward!) The primary movie noticed the highly effective Atreides household take submit within the desert planet of Arrakis to reap a worthwhile spice, which led to a horrible conflict with the rival Home Harkonnen that left many lifeless, together with Paul’s father, Duke Leto. Paul and his mom have been exiled within the siege, and after attempting to outlive within the desert, they find yourself with a Fremen tribe led by Stilgar and together with Chani.
We are able to look to the e-book for an thought of what occurs subsequent. Based on Esquire, Paul rises the Fremen ranks, will get romantically concerned with Chani, ultimately rebels in opposition to Emperor Shaddam IV (Paul additionally marries his daughter, Princess Irulan), and faces Home Harkonnen, particularly his rival Feyd-Rautha. He additionally continues to step into the the messianic function of “Kwisatz Haderach.” Woman Jessica, who we all know is pregnant by the top of the primary movie, provides beginning to a daughter named Alia who wields vital Bene Gesserit powers.
In actual fact, we’ll see much more of the Harkonnens within the sequel. Villeneuve defined to IndieWire, “It’s like a chess sport. Some new characters will likely be launched within the second half, and a choice I made very early on was that this primary half could be extra about Paul Atreides and the Bene Gesserit, and his expertise of being involved for the primary time with a unique tradition. Second half, there will likely be far more Harkonnen stuff.”
The director additionally instructed Empire that Feyd-Rautha “will likely be undoubtedly a really, crucial character within the second half” of Dune. Additionally, not all who’re lifeless are actually gone for good; “some will reappear out of the mud,” he added.
We are able to additionally, fortunately, count on to see extra of Zendaya. She instructed Deadline one factor she’s wanting ahead to partly two: “Nicely, I might be there for longer, which is cool [laughs].”
She later added, “What was cool for me having not been round for a lot of the primary shoot was attending to see the film from a totally contemporary perspective, as a result of I hadn’t seen the units and the scenes for many of the film. And watching it felt like just the start of this story.”
Chalamet additionally instructed Deadline that there’s much more to come back for the entire characters. “This story is much from completed,” he stated. “These characters are removed from their finish factors.”
Dune: Half Two will decide up proper the place half one left off. “I needed the film to actually open simply the place we left the characters. There’s no time soar. I needed dramatic continuity with half one,” Villeneuve instructed Vanity Fair. Nonetheless, count on extra warfare from the follow-up; the director describes it as a “warfare epic motion film.”
It is going to additionally focus extra on the romance between Paul and Chani. However what’s flirting in house in a sci-fi epic like? “Awkward and uncomfortable—there’s all these issues,” Zendaya instructed VF. The outlet additionally shared some first-look pictures beneath.
This story will likely be up to date.

Erica Gonzales is the Senior Tradition Editor at ELLE.com, the place she oversees protection on TV, motion pictures, music, books, and extra. She was beforehand an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There’s a 75 p.c likelihood she’s listening to Lorde proper now.