One of the greatest casualties sustained during the recently-settled SAG-AFTRA strike? The Dune: Part Two release date.
Despite production running smoothly, it was moved from November 3rd of this year to March 15th, 2024. The actors’ strike, of course, meant the star-studded cast would not have been able to promote their film; which is rather problematic considering the multi-million-dollar investment.
But now, Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures have announced that Denis Villeneuve‘s hotly-anticipated space epic sequel will premiere a little earlier than expected (two weeks earlier, to be precise): March 1st, 2024. Still a four-month delay, sure, though we’ll take anything we can get at this point.
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Following where Villeneuve left audiences at the conclusion of his first film, Dune: Part Two will explore the “mythic journey” of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family: House Harkonnen.
Beyond Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) and his brutish nephew Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista), who were the blunt instrument of destruction responsible for overthrowing House Atreides in 2021’s Dune, there’s the other nephew and planned successor of Arrakis: Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler).
“He’s someone Machiavellian, much more cruel, much more strategic, and is more narcissistic,” Denis Villeneuve explained of the character originally portrayed by Sting in David Lynch’s famously divisive 1984 adaptation.
“[His brother] Rabban finds himself, at the end of part one, in the position where he doesn’t have the brain to be able to manage and control all these operations. Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen is a very clever, very charismatic figure, and much more brilliant.”
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In addition to Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, and Austin Butler, Dune: Part Two re-welcomes Rebecca Ferguson as Paul’s mother and Bene Gesserit Lady Jessica; Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck — House Atreides’ weapons master and mentor to Paul; Javier Bardem as Stilgar — leader of the native Arakis tribe.
You can also expect the heavy-hitting likes of Christopher Walken, who portrays the villainous Emperor Shaddam IV (and recently unveiled in the trailer below), Hollywood it-girl Florence Pugh as Emperor Shaddam IV’s daughter Princess Irulan, plus Bond alum Lea Seydoux as Lady Margot — a Bene Gesserit and close friend of the Emperor.
Once again, the Dune: Part Two release date is now set for March 1st, 2024.
