Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two looks to conclude Frank Herbert's classic novel in spectacular fashion, as it will cover the second half of the source material. Now, Villeneuve has confirmed that the sequel will have a greater focus on House Harkonnen.
Dune turned out to be a major critical and box office success, especially during a pandemic era filled with plenty of uncertainty regarding safely returning to theatres. While the film only covered the first half of the Dune novel (as a Part Two was never officially confirmed), a sequel was officially greenlit a week later, and Villeneuve and the rest of the team are now gearing up for a July 2022 production start.
"We are supposed to start shooting at the end of the summer," Villeneuve said of Dune: Part Two to Empire in its new Moon Knight issue, eventually going on to add that a screenplay has been written. "The thing that helps us right now is that it’s the first time I’ve revisited a universe," Villeneuve continued. "So I’m working with the same crew, everybody knows what to do, we know what it will look like. The movie will be more challenging, but we know where we are stepping. Frankly, the only big unknown for me right now is the pandemic."
While Dune dealt with establishing the many new worlds, including the desert planet Arrakis, as well as setting up Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet) story as the titular protagonist, it appears that Dune: Part Two will feature plenty of more scenes with the ruthless House Harkonnen. "I made the decision very early on that the first part would be more about Paul Atreides and the Bene Gesserit," Villeneuve said, "[...] the second part would be much more Harkonnen stuff."
Villeneuve has confirmed that Dune: Part Two will also have a greater focus on Zendaya's Chani and the Fremen, while also being a much more fun film. In addition, the Harkonnen Feyd-Rautha (who is the younger brother of Glossu Rabban and the nephew and heir of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen) will also be introduced as a character who becomes a main foe for Paul. Barry Keoghan (TheKilling of a Sacred Deer, Eternals, The Batman) has been rumored to play the villain, although nothing has been confirmed just yet.
With the film's production approaching, fans can expect more plot details to surface online in the coming months. Until then, audiences can immerse themselves again in the world of Dune. The story follows the Atreides family accepting the stewardship of the dangerous desert planet Arrakis (also referred to as Dune), which contains the most valuable substance in the universe known as the "spice." The film's star-studded ensemble also includes Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Dr. Liet-Kynes, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, and Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Harkonnen.
Dune: Part Two is set to arrive in theatres on October 20, 2023, while Dune is currently playing in theatres and is available on digital platforms.
Source: Empire
