Dune: Part One premiered in theaters and on HBO Max in October 2021 to critical acclaim and commercial success. The film adapts the first half of Frank Herbert’s classic 1965 sci-fi novel about feuding royal families battling for control of the desert planet Arrakis, source of the galaxy’s most valuable resource. Director Denis Villeneuve envisioned a two-part adaptation to do justice to the dense book.
Dune: Part One covered the setup introducing Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, whose family assumes stewardship of mining Arrakis before being betrayed. The movie concludes with Paul embracing his messianic destiny to free Arrakis alongside nomadic rebels known as the Fremen. Numerous plot threads are left dangling to fuel the second half as Paul leads a revolution.
Dune Part 2 Release Date
Given strong reviews, Oscar buzz and $400 million in box office receipts, Legendary Pictures greenlit Dune: Part Two shortly after Part One’s premiere. Villeneuve is confirmed to return as director and co-writer alongside Jon Spaihts. Stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin are all set to reprise their roles. New additions like Florence Pugh and Austin Butler have also signed onto the sequel.
Shooting began in July 2022 and wrapped production in December. While plot specifics are under wraps, Dune: Part Two will presumably cover Paul uniting disparate tribes as he fights to overthrow despotic rulers and unleash his full “Kwisatz Haderach” powers. The runtime expands the story while aiming to close out major character and setting arcs.
Given lengthy post-production needs for visual effects, sound mixing and musical scoring, Dune: Part Two was always targeting an October-November 2023 premiere. Villeneuve and Legendary Pictures also want the sequel to be a major Oscar contender, necessitating a late year launch.
| Name | Dune Part 2 |
|---|---|
| Directed By | Denis Villeneuve |
| Produced By | Denis Villeneuve, Jon Spaihts, Cale Boyter |
| Based on | Dune by Frank Herbert |
| Starring | Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem |
| Music By | Hans Zimmer |
| Cinematography | Greig Fraser |
| Edited By | Joe Walker |
| Production Companies | Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release Date | March 1, 2024 (planned) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | TBD |
Is There Going To Be A Dune Part 2?
As of January 2023 however, no concrete Dune: Part Two release date has been set yet by distributor Warner Brothers. Industry rumors suggest the studio is planning a November 17, 2023 global launch, considering the success of the first movie’s October debut. This launch precedes the Thanksgiving holiday, which boosts ticket sales.
Until Warner Brothers confirms it however, the March 1 2024 date remains. Considering post-production timelines though, a fall 2024 release for Dune: Part Two still appears probable. The studio will want momentum building by late summer as a marketing blitz kicks off to prime audiences for Paul Atreides’ long-awaited return to screens.
So while fans will have to wait a bit longer for a firm Dune: Part Two premiere date, cautious optimism suggests we’ll voyage back to the sands of Arrakis before 2023 ends. We can expect updates directly from Warner Brothers in coming months to lock in when exactly Paul’s epic, generation-spanning story arc continues with the next chapter.
Is Dune 2 Or 3 Parts?
When Denis Villeneuve first signed on to adapt Dune back in 2016, he expressed his intent to split Frank Herbert’s dense 1965 sci-fi novel into two movies from the very start. He felt a single film could never capture the scope and complexity of the source material, or do justice to its expanse of characters and settings.
Thus Villeneuve worked with writers to adapt the first half of the book for what became 2021’s Dune: Part One. This film covers Paul Atreides’ family taking control of the desert planet Arrakis and spices production before being betrayed. It concludes with Paul joining the planet’s native Fremen people and embracing his destiny to free Arrakis.
Is Dune 2 Confirmed?
Numerous story threads are left unfinished to fuel a second and final movie installment titled Dune: Part Two. This second part just wrapped filming in late 2022 and will likely release March 1, 2024 according to industry rumors. The sequel will continue the overarching book adaptation Villeneuve envisioned across two big blockbusters to cover Herbert’s novel in full.
There were never plans to create three Dune films and drag things out further. While there’s certainly enough richness in the Dune mythology to fuel additional movies, Villeneuve has only spoken of faithfully adapting the pivotal events of Herbert’s first novel across two definitive parts totaling seven or more hours.
Why Did They Split Dune Into 2 Parts?
Of course, success often leads studios to milk lucrative franchises with continuations not initially intended. So there exists possibility of someday seeing a “Dune 3” or expanded universe stories on screen. But as of now with both parts wrap filming, all signs point to Villeneuve concluding his direct Herbert adaptation after the release of Dune: Part Two in late 2023. This duology structure will allow for appropriately epic scale while bringing satisfactory resolution.
So in summary: Denis Villeneuve’s intents land firmly on two total Dune films labeled “Part One” and “Part Two.” These comprehensively adapt Frank Herbert’s classic novel across a solid seven hour plus runtime split into two mammoth blockbusters for the big screen. While expanded Dune universe films aren’t out of the question someday, as of now no firm “Dune 3” film or indications of more than Villeneuve’s two parts exist. Expect his epic duology to reach completion in theaters by the early of 2024!
#DunePartTwo. November 3, 2023. pic.twitter.com/15uH1exUnl
— DUNE (@dunemovie) May 2, 2023
