‘Dune: Part Two’ Guide: Everything to Know Right Now About Denis Villeneuve’s Sequel

The Sets and Costumes Were Almost Entirely New

“Dune: Part Two” picks up right where its predecessor leaves off, following many of the same characters in the same locations as they complete their story. But rather than rest on his laurels and re-use sets and costumes from the first film, Denis Villeneuve pushed his team to build everything from scratch in order to give audiences a fresh experience and improve on the original.

“The whole vocabulary of the movie had been defined in ‘Part One,’” Villeneuve said in a recent interview with IndieWire. “Now knowing that vocabulary, it was for us to expand and make sure that there will always be a feeling of novelty for the audience that they will never feel like they had to wear that old cold swimsuit. We wanted them to have a feeling of discovery, of wonder. And we didn’t use any sets that were made for ‘Part One.’ We redesigned completely the movie in the desert. We made sure that we were not going back in the same environment. When you look at both movies back to back, ‘Part Two’ is entirely new. Maybe the only thing that comes back is the ornithopters. But even then, Patrice upgraded and created new vehicles to make sure that there will always be that feeling that you’re watching a new film and not the extensions of the old one.”

The Film’s Black-and-White Gladiator Sequences Were Shot on Infrared Cameras

One of the most visually striking sequences in “Dune: Part Two” comes during a black-and-white interlude when Villeneuve takes us out of the desert and into a gladiator battle at House Harkonnen. The monochromatic cinematography wasn’t just a post-production effect, as Villeneuve and his team made the irreversible decision to shoot the scenes on black-and-white infrared cameras.

“I was looking for some kind of eerie black and white,” Villeneuve told IndieWire. “[Cinematographer Greig Fraser] brought the idea that we could shoot with IR [infrared] cameras, which excited me, because the skin becomes almost translucent; you see the veins to the skin. You see the eyes become almost like insect eyes, something reptile or animalistic, spooky. It was exciting to shoot with those cameras. But the problem: I warned the studio that there was no way back. It’s not an effect that is done in post-production. It’s an effect that is done on camera. So it’s like you shoot this way, and it will be this way. And I love to commit like that!”

Denis Villeneuve Will Need to a Take “Break” Before “Dune: Messiah”

Denis Villeneuve said during a press conference in South Korea (via Variety) that he will take a “detour” from “Dune” before directing “Dune: Messiah,” despite the script almost being complete.

“I don’t know exactly when I will go back to Arrakis,” Villeneuve said. “I might make a detour before just to go away from the sun. For my mental sanity, I might do something in between, but my dream would be to go a last time on this planet that I love.”

“Dune” actress Zendaya already said “of course” she would reprise her role of Princess Chani in an interview with Fandango. “Anytime Denis calls it’s a yes from me, at least,” the Emmy winner said. “I’m excited to see what happens. I started [reading the novel] ‘Messiah’ and I was like, ‘Woah, I’m only shooting the first movie. Let me just go back to the first one.’ It’s so much to take in, and I think there’s no better hands with better care and love for it than him.” 

Denis Villeneuve Will Only Make “Dune: Messiah” If It’s “Even Better Than ‘Part Two’”

Director Villeneuve told Vanity Fair that he will only continue with “Dune: Messiah” to complete the trilogy if it’s “worth it” to the storyline.

“I want to make sure that if we go back there a third time that it’ll be worth it, and that it would make something even better than ‘Part Two,’” Villeneuve says. “It needs to be different. I don’t want to fall into dogmas. I don’t want to fall into a vocabulary that has been predefined by the first two movies. I would love to make something different. We are figuring that out right now.” 

He added, “The screenplay’s in progress. I’m very happy where it’s going, but it’s not finished.” 

Denis Villeneuve Confirms “Dune: Messiah” in the Works

Villeneuve confirmed that a script for a third “Dune” film is in the works. Titled “Dune: Messiah,” the feature would conclude Villeneuve’s trilogy adaptation of the sci-fi franchise. Villeneuve previously called helming a trio of “Dune” films his “dream” project, and announced that “Messiah” would be his “last” “Dune” movie. 

“I was trying to be, as a filmmaker, as invisible as possible,” Villeneuve said to Time magazine of his approach to the beloved IP. “I tried my best to keep the poetry of the book, the atmosphere, the colors, the smell, everything that I felt when I read the book. I tried.” 

“Dune: Part Two” Is “Better” Than the 2021 Film, Says Denis Villeneuve

Director Villeneuve said during a press conference in South Korea (via Variety) that the sequel is “more alive” than his first “Dune” movie. 

“For me, this film is much better than ‘Part One,’” Villeneuve said. “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 cannot wait to share it with the fans and the moviegoers.” 

“Dune: Prophecy” Continues Filming Despite SAG Strike

Prequel series “Dune: Prophecy” (previously titled “Dune: The Sisterhood”) resumed filming in Budapest, Hungary despite the ongoing WGA and SAG strikes in July 2023. Deadline reported that the Max series had a planned hiatus due to the creative shuffle behind the scenes. Director Johan Renck, creator/showrunner/pilot writer Diane Ademu-John, and actresses Shirley Henderson and Indira Varma parted ways with the production earlier this year. Olivia Williams has taken over Henderson’s role as Tula Harkonnen, with Jodhi May in for Varma as Natalya.

Director Anna Foerster stepped in for Renck to helm multiple episodes. Alison Schapker is now the sole showrunner for the series.

The official logline reads: “Set 10,000 years before the events of the 1965 novel ‘Dune,’ the series follows sisters Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula Harkonnen (Olivia Williams) as they combat forces that threaten the future of humankind, and establish the fabled sect known as the Bene Gesseri.” 

Jodhi May plays Empress Natalya, with Sarah-Sofie Boussnina as Princess Ynez. Chris Mason stars as Paul Atreides’ (Timothée Chalamet) ancestor Keiran Atreides. 

Austin Butler Is Unrecognizable as Feyd-Rautha

“Elvis” star Austin Butler sported a bald head and lifeless eyes in the latest trailer for “Dune: Part Two.” Butler portrays villain Feyd-Rautha, who was previously played by Sting for David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation. 

Feyd-Rautha is the evil nephew of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and the brother of the sadistic Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista). The two brothers are in competition to become the Harkonnen family’s successor on the planet Arrakis. 

“Dune” director Denis Villeneuve called the character “an Olympic sword master crossed with a psychotic serial killer” during CinemaCon earlier this year.

Florence Pugh Rules as Regal Princess Irulan

Oscar-nominated actress Florence Pugh joins Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” franchise as Princess Irulan, who is the daughter of the Padishah Emperor, played by Christopher Walken. The princess poses a love triangle with Chani (Zendaya) and Paul (Timothée Chalamet), who must marry the emperor’s daughter to take over the kingdom. 

“Dune: Part Two” Release Date Gets Pushed Back

Originally slated for an October 20, 2023 release, “Dune: Part Two” will now debut in theaters November 3, 2023. Sources tell IndieWire that, unlike the first film, “Part Two” won’t play the Venice Film Festival, though a festival run is still in talks.

Production Wrapped in December 2022

Warner Bros. revealed on Monday, July 18 that production on “Dune: Part Two” was officially underway. The movie was shot in Budapest, Hungary, and Italy. Lead star Timothée Chalamet celebrated production wrapping in December 2022, sharing a first look at the sequel.

Costume Designer Jacqueline West Teases Austin Butler Is ‘Fabulous’ in Sequel

“Dune” costume designer Jacqueline West revealed that the “Part Two” film will dive deeper into the different sci-fi worlds in the epic universe. 

“We see what the emperor’s world looks like. We go to his planet. We spend a lot of time on Giedi Prime, the Harkonnen planet. We spend a lot of time in Stellan Skarsgård’s [Vladimir Harkonnen] world,” West told Deadline. “Feyd-Rautha [Harkonnen] also comes into this one, brilliantly played by Austin Butler, Elvis. He is pretty fabulous in it.” 

West continued, “We made a lot of costumes. All the worlds get expanded. It was about creating three separate different-looking worlds and also revisiting the Bene Gesserits, the age-old ones with these costumes that almost look like Egyptian mummies. I think it’s visually stunning, the sets, the cinematography and the concepts.” 

Director Villeneuve also told West that “Dune” should not “look like a videogame” visually or have any “sci-fi” components.

“He said, ‘I want you because I do not want it to look like sci-fi. I want it to be classical. I don’t want it to look like a video game,’” West recalled. 

Dave Bautista Teases “Amped-Up” Part Two

Dave Bautista will reprise his role Glossu “Beast” Rabban, one of the villains in the House of Harkonnen, for the second installment. In a recent Collider chat, he teased his expanded role in the new film and a more “amped-up” movie in general:

“You’ve heard me talk about the first film, we’ve talked about the first film. It was that times 100 because it was Rabban amped-up, and my part is much bigger on this. I got to spend much more time with Denny, which I crave for because I love working with Denny. And Denny, again, he just brings out the best in me and this was such an amazing experience. Before I left the film—[we were] talking about something else and I’m not gonna say until it actually happens, but he knows that my dream is to work with him as a number one because I really think that Denny will show me how good I can be.”

Tim Blake Nelson Announced as Part of Cast

Despite “Dune: Part Two” having already wrapped filming, actor Tim Blake Nelson was confirmed to be part of the large ensemble cast in January 2023. While Nelson’s character is being kept under wraps, Nelson was most recently seen in “Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities” and collaborated with director Guillermo del Toro for stop-motion animated Netflix film “Pinocchio.” 

Official Synopsis Teases a Choice Between Love and Death

The official synopsis from Warner Bros. and Legendary reads: “This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”

Souheila Yacoub Joins the Cast

Souheila Yacoub is set to play Shishakli, a Squad leader of Fedaykin. Deadline first reported the casting news. Yacoub was most recently seen in Gaspar Noé’s “Climax” and has also starred in Cannes Film Festival releases “De Bas Etages” and Anaïs Volpé’s “The Braves.” She additionally appeared in “The Salt of Tears” and drama series “Les Sauvages” and “No Man’s Land.”
 

Léa Seydoux Is Lady Margot

Hot off acclaim for Cannes films “One Fine Morning” and “Crimes of the Future,” Léa Seydoux is set to play Lady Margot in the upcoming “Dune” sequel for Legendary. In the original novel by Frank Herbert, Lady Margot Fenring serves the Sisterhood despite falling under the spell of the House Corrino.

Christopher Walken Is the Emperor

Hot off his run on Apple TV+’s “Severance,” Academy Award winner Christopher Walken is joining the cast of Warner Bros. and Legendary’s sequel as the Emperor Shaddam IV. He plays the ruler of the universe that initially sent the Atreides family to Arrakis to their peril. Jose Ferrer played the role in David Lynch’s 1984 movie.

“Dune” Prequel Series Taps “Chernobyl” Director Johan Renck

Branching off from the films, the “Dune” prequel series at HBO Max has tapped Emmy-winning “Chernobyl” director Johan Renck to direct the first two episodes. Denis Villeneuve was previously tapped to direct the pilot, but he’s at work on “Part Two.” The show is set 10,000 years before the events of “Dune” and centers on the Harkonnen Sisters as they defend the future of humankind.

“Dune Part 2” Will Feature More IMAX Footage

Denis Villeneuve confirmed the sequel will “definitely” also use IMAX. “[Cinematographer] Greig Fraser and I, we fell in love with this format, and definitely there be — even probably more — IMAX footage in this movie. Definitely,” Villeneuve told Collider. 

Fraser also collaborated with Matt Reeves on “The Batman” and has worked on Disney+’s “The Mandalorian.” 

The “Dune 2” Script Will “Always Be a Work in Progress”

Denis Villeneuve told Collider in March 2022 that while the sequel script is “finished mostly,” it will “always be a work in progress” up until the film’s final cut. Plus, Villeneuve noted some “premises” in the first film will have to be “ignored” for the next installment. “I think I would say there’s more pressure with the second one in some ways,” the director summed up. 

Austin Butler Is Confirmed to Play Feyd-Rautha

Hot off of “Elvis,” Austin Butler is making his way to “Dune: Part II.” The “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” alum is confirmed to play Feyd-Rautha, the evil nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and the heir to the Harkonnen empire. 

Florence Pugh Reportedly Joins the Cast

Florence Pugh might be joining the “Dune” sequel, as The Hollywood Reporter stated. The “Black Widow” alum is in talks to star as Princess Irulan. 

Denis Villeneuve Says Shooting Will Start by “End of the Summer” 2022

Denis Villeneuve revealed where things stand with “Dune: Part Two” and teased plot details for the sequel, which is slated to start production “by the end of the summer” in 2022.

“I will say it is mostly designed,” Villeneuve said to Empire of the next installment starring Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, and Stellan Skarsgård. “The thing that helps us right now is that it’s the first time I’ve revisited a universe. So I’m working with the same crew, everybody knows what to do, we know what it will look like. The movie will be more challenging, but we know where we are stepping. And the screenplay is written. So I feel confident.”

Villeneuve added, “Frankly, the only big unknown for me right now is the pandemic.”

Expect a Lot More House of Harkonnen

Stellan Skarsgård practically stole the “Dune Part One” show with his slimy Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, mounting a coup against the House of Atreides from his inky black lair. As “Part One” gave us plenty of Atreides to chew on, Villeneuve said we should expect to see a lot more of the House of Harkonnen this time around.

“In the second one, I want to have more flexibility, and it will be possible to go a little bit deeper into some of these details,” Villeneuve said in a recent interview.

Some of those details include expanding on the Harkonnen clan, namely villain Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, played by Skarsgård, and his nephew, Glossu Rabban, portrayed by Bautista.

“It’s like a chess game,” Villeneuve continued. “Some new characters will be introduced in the second part, and a decision I made very early on was that this first part would be more about Paul Atreides and the Bene Gesserit, and his experience of being in contact for the first time with a different culture. Second part, there will be much more Harkonnen stuff.”

Denis Villenueve Always Planned a Two-Part Movie

Denis Villeneuve has said from the start that he only signed on to direct “Dune” for Legendary Entertainment and Warner Bros. because they agreed to let him split Frank Herbert’s novel into two movies. The director originally wanted to film both “Dune” films back-to-back, but studio fears over the financial risks of the adaptation resulted in the wait and see approach. If the first “Dune” movie performed at the box office and on HBO Max, Villeneuve would get the chance to make his intended second part.

Now we know “Dune: Part Two” is official. Before the film’s global rollout, Villeneuve was feeling positive about getting the chance to see his two-part vision through the finish line.

“We have been hearing in the past few decades that it’s not possible to adapt this book, and that it’s an impossible task. I think that in the back of the mind of the studio, it’s still the same!” Villeneuve told Total Film in August 2021. “The first thing was to prove that there was a beautiful, popular movie that can exist, and I think that I proved that — everybody at Warner Bros and Legendary, they are 100 percent behind the project. They feel that it would need a really bad outcome at the box office to not have a ‘Dune: Part Two,’ because they love the movie. They are proud of the movie, so they want the movie to move forward. And they still did half of it. So, you know, I’m very optimistic.”

Even Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff was bullish on the prospects for a second “Dune” movie before the first opened. “Will we have a sequel to ‘Dune’? If you watch the movie you see how it ends,” Sarnoff said the day before the “Dune” U.S. theatrical release started in the U.S. “I think you pretty much know the answer to that.”

“Dune: Part Two” Is Getting an Exclusive Theatrical Release

“Dune: Part Two” will open in theaters October 20, 2023 from Warner Bros. The date puts the sequel’s opening nearly two years to the day of “Part One” opening on October 22, 2021. Legendary and Warner Bros. have agreed to give “Dune: Part Two” an exclusive theatrical release, although the exact theatrical window has yet to be confirmed (the industry norm is quickly becoming 45 days).

The move to an exclusive theatrical release makes sense, as Denis Villeneuve was against putting the first “Dune” film on HBO Max at the same time it was being released in theaters.

Zendaya Becomes the Female Protagonist of the Story

Warner Bros. made Zendaya a focal point of the “Dune” marketing campaign, but it was a bait-and-switch method, as the Emmy winner only appeared in the movie for a total of 7 minutes. Zendaya stars in the film as Chani, the Fremen warrior who is the love interest of Paul Atreides. Chani is mostly seen in Paul’s many dream sequences in the first “Dune,” but her role will be significantly expanded for the sequel.

“When I did the casting for Chani’s character, I met a lot of actresses,” Villeneuve told La Repubblica. “Zendaya wanted to audition and today, after shooting the film and seeing what a wonderful actress she is, I’m sorry I auditioned her. It was just because I didn’t know her. However that day, she impressed me and when she left the studio I knew that Chani was her, the young desert tiger. I am honored to present two such explosive talents on screen [Chalamet and Zendaya] and I can’t wait to shoot the second part of ‘Dune’ to get them back together. Knowing that in the next chapter Zendaya will be the [female] protagonist of the story.”

Where Does the Story Go from Here?

“Dune: Part One” ends with Paul officially joining the Fremen and planning to bring peace to Arrakis. The film cuts to black as Paul and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) travel with the Fremen to their home city. Paul spots one Fremen member riding a sandworm. Fans can definitely expect to see Chalamet riding a sandworm in “Dune: Part Two,” but what else is in store? A lot, actually.

If some viewers thought “Dune: Part One” was plot-heavy, then wait until they realize all the plot still to come in “Dune: Part Two.” The main narrative of “Part Two” will track Paul’s rise to power among the Fremen and the resulting rebellion against Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. The latter character, mentioned only in name in “Part One,” will be perhaps the biggest new role in “Part Two.”

Additional new characters include Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s eldest teen daughter who becomes Paul’s wife for political reasons, and Alia Atreides, the daughter of Lady Jessica and the late Duke Leto. The first “Dune” movie left out many of the book’s biggest twists, including Lady Jessica’s parentage, but we’ll keep those spoilers hidden for now. Suffice to say, there are many shocks to come in “Dune: Part Two.”

Why Denis Villeneuve Split “Dune” Where He Did

Denis Villeneuve ended his first “Dune” movie at the moment Paul is accepted into the Fremen and journeys with them to their home city in Arrakis. “Frankly, if I had to do it again, it’s exactly where I will stop the movie,” he told IndieWire about splitting the book where he did. “If you look at Paul’s trajectory, which is a boy that is trying to find his place in the world and at the end becomes finally an adult by being able to step in front, it’s a very important moment in a young man’s life to stake his ground. Paul’s arc is complete for that first part. Now the fact that people are coming out saying, ‘I wanted more,’ is a total victory!”

Which Cast Members Will Return?

Timothée Chalamet will be back as Paul Atreides, as will Zendaya as his Fremen love interest Chani. The sequel will include a lot more of the Fremen, which means Javier Bardem will have a lot more to do as the group’s leader. The first “Dune” movie ended with Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica, venturing to the Fremen city along with the eponymous Arrakis natives. So yes, Rebecca Ferguson will be back as the Bene Gesserit member (who is still pregnant come the end of the first movie). Stellan Skarsgård should be returning as well as the villainous Baron Harkonnen (it’s time to break out the 20-pound body suit again), as should Dave Bautista as the Baron’s sadistic henchman Glossu Rabban. Charlotte Rampling’s character, the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother named Gaius Helen Mohiam, is still alive in the world and should appear in the next film as the Emperor will be introduced in the flesh and she is his Truthsayer.

As for Jasom Momoa, Josh Brolin, and Stephen McKinley Henderson, their reappearances will depend on how faithful Villeneuve remains to Herbert’s novel. Brolin’s weapons master Gurney Halleck and Henderson’s Thufir Hawat were last seen on Arrakis as it was being attacked by the Harkonnen forces. Both characters survive the attack in the book, so expect to see the actors again in “Dune: Part Two.”

As for Momoa’s Duncan Idaho, viewers hear Lady Jessica say “he’s gone” after Duncan stays behind to fight off Sardaukar troops so that Paul and Jessica can escape. Does that mean Duncan is dead? Maybe not, as Momoa told IndieWire he’s ready to return for “Part Two.”

The Cast Was Always Ready to Come Back

For what it’s worth, Villeneuve’s “Dune” cast spent a lot of the promotional tour touring their desite to return for a second movie. As Rebecca Ferguson told IndieWire, “It would feel really sad and empty and odd to leave the character [Lady Jessica] where she is, at least from my aspect. I know what’s to come. I know the continuation of this story. I know how much more there is in this world. It’s like Denis has said, we’ve been able to introduce you to the characters and their worlds, let’s go and ride the waves. Now we can start living it.”

“There’s so much story left to be told. I would love to spend more time with these characters,” Zendaya told Entertainment Weekly. “I learned so much as an actress and became better just from that experience of being around Denis, watching him interact with his actors and run sets, and then seeing the way Javier works too. I also became wonderful friends with Timothée, who’s now like my family I would say. We talk all the time about how fun it’s gonna be if we get to do it. Selfishly, I want to do [a second film] to have fun and spend time with my friend.”

What the Studios Have to Say about the Sequel

Here’s the official statement from Lionsgate on the next “Dune” movie: “Legendary is pleased to officially move forward with ‘Dune: Part Two’…once again based on the amazing books written by Frank Herbert. We would not have gotten to this point without the extraordinary vision of Denis and the amazing work of his talented crew, the writers, our stellar cast, our partners at Warner Bros., and of course the fans! Here’s to more ‘Dune.’”

Toby Emmerich, Chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures, added in his own statement: “Denis Villeneuve has crafted a film that is both visually extraordinary and emotionally transporting, as evidenced by its global success both critically and at the box office.  We are thrilled to continue on this journey with Denis and his cast and crew, and our partners at Legendary, and can’t wait to bring the next chapter of this epic tale to theaters in October 2023.”

It Might Not Be the Last “Dune” Movie

While Denis Villeneuve always envisioned adapting Frank Herbert’s novel into a two-part movie, he has already gone on record expressing interest in helming a “Dune” movie trilogy by also adapting Herbert’s 1969 sequel novel, “Dune Messiah,” into a third film.

As the director said before the first film’s U.S. release, “There is ‘Dune’s second book, ‘The Messiah of Dune,’ which could make an extraordinary film. I always saw that there could be a trilogy; after that, we’ll see. It’s years of work; I can’t think of going further than that.”