Dune 2 Finally Gives Us A Detailed Look At The Anticipated Sequel
Vanity Fair posts incredible new images from the upcoming Dune: Part Two.
Vanity Fair has published new photos from Dune 2, along with insights from its director, Denis Villeneuve, giving us our first detailed look at the new film, reportedly an epic war movie. Villeneuve, however, is quick to dismiss the term “sequel,” emphasizing that this film is a “second part” of the same story, picking up right where the first film left off with Timothée Chalamet’s character, Paul Atreides. “There’s a difference,” the visionary director says, between a sequel and a second part.
The new images coming in from Dune 2 are, not a bit surprisingly, stunning. As he did on Blade Runner 2049 and the first Dune, Villeneuve is presenting us with a richly imagined, carefully detailed world, depicted with stark beauty that incorporates the majestic, the harsh, and even the somewhat grotesque. The Dune series, of course, lives in the desert but is shot with a captivating beauty that won cinematographer Greig Fraser an Oscar for the first film.
From the looks of things, Dune 2 is set to be a worthy continuation of its statuette-laden predecessor, which won six Oscars in 2022, the most of any film that year. The universe of the story will expand, of course, bringing new development to the world and new characters.
One of Dune 2‘s new faces will be Elvis star Austin Butler, who plays Feyd-Rautha, the Harkonnen prince who was memorably portrayed by Sting in the 1980s adaptation of Dune. Villeneuve says of Butler in Vanity Fair that the actor brought a fresh, sinister approach to the character that also drew comparisons to another rock legend, Mick Jagger. Feyd-Rautha will be helping to bring about the collapse foreseen by another new character, Florence Pugh‘s Princess Irulan, daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV, portrayed by Christopher Walken.
Dune 2 also features more unfolding of the story of the Bene Gesserit, a sect of religious sisters. One of their members, Lady Margot Fenring, is portrayed by Léa Seydoux, known for her roles in Blue is the Warmest Color and the latest James Bond films, including Daniel Craig’s swan song, No Time to Die. Interestingly, according to the director, her character in this film will also be a secret agent, though we doubt she will be quite the same sort as Bond. Villeneuve says Lady Margot will be “full of surprises.”
Returning to Dune 2 will be, among others, Paul’s mentor and Atreides family soldier Gurney Halleck, played by Josh Brolin. Halleck has returned to seek revenge for the devastating attack on House Atreides. Rebecca Ferguson also returns as Lady Jessica, a member of the Bene Gesserit, and believes her son, Paul, will bring great freedom to the galaxy, as has been prophesied.
What we’re prophesying for Dune 2 is another deft and compelling science fiction epic from Denis Villeneuve, who has more than proven himself one of the great directors of the genre. We’re also interested to see how Chalamet’s star will continue to rise, as he not only stars in this film, but also looks ahead to playing Bob Dylan and Willy Wonka. Florence Pugh is also sure to continue to impress, as the director tells Vanity Fair that he would not be surprised to see the actor, whom he describes as regal, becoming a prime minister in the future.
For now, she’ll have to be content as an emperor’s daughter in Dune 2, and we’ll have to be content to see this chapter of the story unfold when the film releases on November 3rd.
