Dune was one of our 2021 movie highlights, and its episodic nature means that we've been itching for the sequel ever since.
The first movie was bold enough to call itself Dune: Part One, even though, at the time, a sequel was not guaranteed.
Thankfully, that's no longer the case, and the second instalment will arrive in 2023. Here's everything we know so far, including the release date, who's in it, where you can watch it and more.
Dune 2: What you need to know
As you likely know, the Dune films are based on Frank Herbert's mammoth sci-fi novel of the same name. Most would agree that there's simply too much story in the original material to condense into a single feature-length film.
"I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie," director Denis Villeneuve told Vanity Fair in 2020. "The world is too complex. It’s a world that takes its power in details," he continued.
Dune: Part One was released in October 2021 both streaming on HBO Max and in theatres. Despite the split audience, the film was still relatively successful at the box office and had the best opening weekend of any Warner Brothers property in 2022.
Villeneuve was vocal about his disapproval of this distribution model saying "streaming can produce great content, but not movies of Dune’s scope and scale. Warner Bros.' decision means Dune won’t have the chance to perform financially in order to be viable and piracy will ultimately triumph. Warner Bros. might just have killed the Dune franchise." As a result, it's fairly unlikely that Dune: Part Two will be streaming from day one.
Dune 2: Release date
Dune: Part Two is set to release in theatres on November 3 2023.
It was originally set for October, then shifted to November 17 before landing on the current release date. There's plenty of time for this release date to change again, but since filming began in July 2022 and wrapped in December, a November release seems like a safe bet.
As we mentioned, it seems unlikely that Warner Brothers will release the title on HBO Max from day one, but it'll certainly be available on the platform at some point.
Dune 2: Cast
The second Dune movie will feature many familiar faces, as well as introduce plenty of new characters.
Timothée Chalamet is, of course, returning as Paul Atreides and will be joined by Zendaya’s Chani, who is said to have a much larger role in the sequel.
We'll also be reunited with Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Harkonnen, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica and Dave Bautista as Glossu.
New additions to the cast include Florech Pugh as Princess Irulan, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV and Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot.
Dune 2: Trailers
There are no trailers just yet. We'd expect the teasing to begin around the summer of 2023.