Coming off the heels of the critical and box-office success of the six-time Academy Award-winning first film, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment have begun production on the highly-anticipated follow-up, Dune: Part Two, once again directed by Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (Dune: Part One, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049).
Dune: Part Two 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.
The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning stars including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (Wonka, Call Me by Your Name), Zendaya (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Malcolm & Marie, Euphoria), Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Being the Ricardos).
Also returning are Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Army of the Dead), Stellan Skarsgård (the Mamma Mia! films, Avengers: Age of Ultron), Dave Bautista (the Guardians of the Galaxy films, Thor: Love and Thunder), Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Assassin’s Creed), and Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences, Lady Bird).
Joining the cast are Austin Butler (Elvis, Once Upon A Time… In Hollywood) as the notorious Feyd Rautha and screen legend Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter, Hairspray) as the Emperor.
Florence Pugh (Black Widow, Little Women), Léa Seydoux (the James Bond franchise and Crimes of the Future), and Souheila Yacoub (the No Man’s Land series, Climax) round out the extensive ensemble cast.
Villeneuve is directing Dune: Part Two from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Herbert’s novel. The film is being produced by Denis Villeneuve, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe, and Patrick McCormick.
The executive producers are Josh Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, Thomas Tull, Jon Spaihts, Richard P. Rubinstein, and John Harrison, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.
Once again, Villeneuve is collaborating with Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser (Lion, Zero Dark Thirty, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), three-time Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (The Revenant, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Quills), and Oscar-nominated makeup, hair and prosthetic designer Donald Mowat (Blade Runner 2049).
Multiple Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer (Blade Runner 2049, Inception, Gladiator, The Lion King) is again on hand to create the score.
Villeneuve is also reteaming with Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette (Arrival, Sicario, The Young Victoria), Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, 12 Years a Slave), three-time Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert (First Man, Blade Runner 2049), and Oscar-winning special effects supervisor Gerd Nefzer (Blade Runner 2049).
Dune: Part Two is being filmed on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, and Italy. The film is slated for a worldwide release on November 17, 2023, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment.
“I just received news from Legendary that we are officially moving forward with Dune Part Two,” said Villeneuve when the sequel was announced. “It was a dream of mine to adapt Frank Herbert’s Dune, and I have the fans, the cast, and crew, Legendary and Warner Bros. to thank for supporting this dream. This is only the beginning.”
“Legendary is pleased to move forward with Dune officially: Part Two… once again based on the amazing books written by Frank Herbert,” Legendary added. “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.”
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.