Dune Part Two: Release date, trailer, and latest news on sci-fi sequel

Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are among those returning for the sequel after the open ending of Part One, while new additions to the cast include Florence Pugh, Austin Butler and Christopher Walken.

Whether there will be more films after that depends on how successful the sequel is, and how Villeneuve tackles differences between the Dune books and his film.

Speaking at CinemaCon on Tuesday 25th April 2023, Villeneuve said (via The Hollywood Reporter): "Part One is more of a contemplative movie. Part Two is an action-packed, epic, war movie. It is much more dense. We went to all-new locations."

He added: "In the first movie, Paul is a student. We really see Paul Atrides become a leader … become a redeemer of the Fremen people in a sense."

The first trailer is due to be released on Wednesday 3rd May 2023 and will show a further look at new additions Florence Pugh and Austin Butler.

The film was entirely shot in IMAX, unlike the first film which was only partly filmed that way.

But for now, read on for everything we know so far about Dune: Part 2, which has had its release date brought forward slightly, meaning fans will be able to feast their eyes on the sequel slightly earlier in November 2022 than anticipated.

Dune: Part Two release date

Dune: Part Two is now set to hit cinemas on 3rd November 2023.

This was brought forward after initially being slated for 17th November 2023.

The sequel was initially set for release on 20th October 2023 but was pushed back by a few weeks by Warner Bros.

Filming was confirmed to have begun on Monday 18th July 2022.

The film will receive a 45-day exclusivity window in the US for theatres only before then being made available to stream.

This is unlike Part One, which was made available to stream in the US on HBO Max on the same day as its theatrical release.

Production company Legendary Pictures and studio Warner Bros confirmed the sequel film Dune: Part Two in October 2021.

Now that Dune's sequel has been confirmed, it appears that director Denis Villeneuve won't waste any time getting the ball rolling on a follow-up.

In fact, he told IGN that he “would be very ready to go quite quickly” after getting the thumbs up from Warner Bros, having already put a considerable amount of work into the script for the sequel.

He continued: “To go quickly into a movie of that size, you still need to make sets, costumes, so we are talking about months. But if ever there’s enthusiasm and the movie is greenlit sooner than later, I will say that I will be ready to shoot in 2022 for sure.”

Brolin confirmed this was the case, stating filming would officially begin in July.

While Dune: Part Two is set to complete Villeneuve's adaptation of the original book, that doesn't necessarily mean the film franchise will end there, as the director has also taken interest in tackling the sequel novel.

“There is Dune’s second book, The Messiah of Dune [aka Dune: Messiah], which could make an extraordinary film," he told CBC Radio Canada. "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."

Prequel series The Sisterhood has been confirmed for HBO Max, with Villeneuve serving as executive producer.

Dune: Part Two trailer release

The first trailer for Dune: Part Two will be released on Wednesday 3rd May 2023 at 5pm GMT.

The trailer will be available below.

A teaser for the trailer was released alongside the film's first poster on Tuesday 2nd May 2023.

This footage showed a new look at new cast additions Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan Corrino and Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.

The poster boasts the film's two leads, Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Zendaya as Chani.

Who stars in Dune: Part Two?

We can expect the following to appear in the cast of Dune: Part Two.

• Timothee Chalamet as Duke Paul Atreides/Muad'Dib
• Zendaya as Chani
• Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
• Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck
• Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen
• Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan Corrino
• Dave Bautista as Count Glossu Rabban Harkonnen
• Christopher Walken as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV Corrino
• Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat
• Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot Fenring
• with Stellan Skarsård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
• with Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam
• and Javier Bardem as Stilgar
• Souheila Yacoub as Shishakli
• Tim Blake Nelson as TBC

It has been confirmed that Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson will return as Paul Atreides and his mother, Lady Jessica, who narrowly escaped execution in the first film.

They found refuge in a Fremen tribe that counts Stilgar (Skyfall's Javier Bardem) and Chani (Spider-Man: No Way Home's Zendaya) among its number, so expect both characters to reappear in the sequel.

The brutal destruction of House Atreides left the fate of some of its closest allies up in the air, but we will be seeing actors Josh Brolin (Gurney Halleck) and Stephen McKinley Henderson (Thufir Hawat) again too.

We will also see returns for the villainous Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard), his nephew Count Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista) and the Emperor's truthsayer, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling).

On the other hand, there were some major deaths that will take several big characters out of the running for now, most notably Oscar Isaac's Duke Leto, Jason Momoa's Duncan Idaho and Sharon Duncan-Brewster's Dr Liet-Kynes.

In the supporting cast, neither the traitorous Dr Wellington Yueh (Chang Chen) nor Piter De Vries (The Suicide Squad's David Dastmalchian) made it out alive, creating two more vacant positions in the large Dune ensemble cast.

It's a good thing too because Villeneuve has some important characters to introduce in Dune: Part Two, including Baron Harkonnen's capricious nephew Feyd-Rautha and the sinister Emperor, Shaddam IV Corrino.

Elvis star Austin Butler will portray Feyd-Rautha, Hollywood legend Christopher Walken will play the Padishah Emperor, while Oscar-nominee Florence Pugh will play his daughter, Princess Irulan Corrino.

It has also been confirmed that No Time To Die actress Lea Seydoux has been cast as Lady Margot Fenring, a member of the Bene Gesserit and the wife of the Emperor's closest advisor.

Souheila Yacoub has also been cast as a gender-swapped version of the Fremen character Shishakli.

Another character includes Paul's unborn sister, Alia Atreides, who will likely play a major role in the sequel and was glimpsed in visions in the first film.

• Read more: Does Dune have a post-credits scene?

Dune: Part Two plot spoilers

*Warning: potential spoilers for Dune: Part Two*

The official plot synopsis for Dune: Part Two has been released by Warner Bros and Legendary.

It 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 endeavours to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee."

The first Dune novel is split up into three parts – titled Dune, Mua'dib, and The Prophet respectively – with the 2021 film adaptation being an abridged version of the first two, meaning the story is far from complete.

The final section of Dune is in many ways the most action-packed, as with all his complex world-building out of the way, Herbert is able to put more emphasis on driving his story forward.

Picking up where the first film left off, Part Two would likely begin with Paul and Jessica settling into their new life among the Fremen tribe Sietch Tabr.

After experiencing vivid visions of Chani for some time before arriving on Arrakis, the connection between herself and Paul only grows deeper, as they become a couple and have a child together.

Meanwhile, Jessica takes on the respected Bene Gesserit role of Reverend Mother for the Fremen she lives among, but doing so will require her to undergo a painful trial that threatens the life of her unborn child.

As Paul quickly rises through the ranks of the Fremen to become their leader, the stage is set for an epic confrontation between his forces and those of the Harkonnens who so brutally ousted them.

It seems like the same would be true of Villeneuve's adaptation, as the filmmaker alluded to hitting the ground running in a second movie and promising even more spectacle than the first.

“If such a thing as Dune: Part Two happens, I will say that it’s going to be an insane playground for me because I had the task to explain this world to the audience," he told Variety. "Now it is explained, it means I can just have fun with cinema."

If you're wondering whether the film is a family watch, here is more information on Dune's age rating.

How many Dune films will there be?

As explained above, Villeneuve does not necessarily see his Dune film series ending with Part Two, having expressed interest in a trilogy incorporating Frank Herbert's second novel, Dune Messiah.

Now that the sequel has been greenlit, who knows? If Villeneuve gets his way we might see at least three films.

Additionally, there are a further four books after the initial two, although only the third includes the original central characters in prominent roles.

How many Dune books are there?

Frank Herbert wrote six Dune novels over a 20-year period. They are as follows:

• Dune (1965)
• Dune Messiah (1969)
• Children of Dune (1976)
• God Emperor of Dune (1981)
• Heretics of Dune (1984)
• Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)

Herbert's son Brian Herbert and author Kevin J. Anderson later collaborated on a further series of novels, with the latest set for release in 2022. They are as follows:

Prelude to Dune series:

• House Atreides (1999)
• House Harkonnen (2000)
• House Corrino (2001)

Legends of Dune series:

• The Butlerian Jihad (2002)
• The Machine Crusade (2003)
• The Battle of Corrin (2004)
• Hunters of Dune (2006)
• Sandworms of Dune (2007)

Heroes of Dune series:

• Paul of Dune (2008)
• The Winds of Dune (2009)

Great Schools of Dune series:

• Sisterhood of Dune (2012)
• Mentats of Dune (2014)
• Navigators of Dune (2016)

The Caladan Trilogy series:

• Dune: The Duke of Caladan (2020)
• Dune: The Lady of Caladan (2021)
• Dune: The Heir of Caladan (2022)

See below for more on what happens in Frank Herbert's original Dune book sequels.

What happens in Dune: Messiah?

*Warning: Spoilers for Dune: Part Two**

Released in 1969, Dune: Messiah takes place 12 years after the events of Dune, where Paul Atreides – now known largely by his Fremen name Muad'Dib – has taken over as Padishah Emperor after tearing down the old regime.

However, his worst fears have come true, as by deliberately shaping himself as a messiah figure to the Fremen people, he has driven them to embark on a bloody religious war across the known universe, in which 61 billion people have lost their lives.

Now, the political houses and organisations that he displaced during his ascent conspire together to bring him down, identifying his lover Chani as a weak spot ready to be exploited.

Other characters to feature in the second book include Princess Irulan Corrino, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam and Stilgar.

What happens in Children of Dune?

*Warning: Spoilers for Children of Dune*

Children of Dune is the third novel in Frank Herbert's epic sci-fi series, which Villeneuve is yet to express an interest in adapting to film.

However, if there's an appetite for more Dune stories after the completion of his proposed trilogy, it's not hard to imagine Warner Bros pushing ahead with adaptations of the later books in the series.

Children of Dune sees another time-jump, this time moving on nine years from the events of Dune: Messiah, which saw Paul wander into the desert blind, leaving his two children in the care of the Fremen.

However, they are not safe, as Paul's sister Alia is envious of the twins' for they have inherited their father's prescient visions of the future, while the Bene Gesserit and the Spacing Guild are scheming to take the children for their own purposes.

This third entry in the Dune series sees a reduced role for Paul, as the focus shifts to his children, Leto and Ghanima. At the same time, it also features a wildly different version of Arrakis, which has bloomed into a much more hospitable place.

However, this has come at the expense of the sandworms that inhabit it, putting the planet's spice production in peril.

Other characters to feature in the third book include Lady Jessica, Gurney Halleck, Princess Irulan Corrino, and Stilgar.

Children of Dune was previously adapted into a three-part miniseries by the Syfy Channel, featuring James McAvoy and Susan Sarandon in the cast.

Dune: Part 2 is released in UK cinemas on 3rd November 2023. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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