Out of the impressive ensemble, it looks like Zendaya's Chani will have the spotlight in Dune: Part Two, as director Denis Villeneuve promises her role will be a prominent one in the upcoming sequel.
In last year's Dune, Chani, a young woman who is a part of Arrakis' native desert tribe known as the Fremen, is briefly shown in the visions Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet) has throughout the story. Once Paul and his Bene Gesserit mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) reach the deep desert and meet Chani, Paul insists on joining her and the rest of the Fremen to fulfill his father's wishes of building an alliance and bringing peace to Arrakis.
While her character is definitely an intriguing aspect in the first film despite her brief appearances, especially when relating to Paul's journey, Villeneuve now promises fans will see much more of Chani in the Dune sequel, which will cover the second half of Frank Herbert's acclaimed 1965 novel. “For Zendaya, I will say Part One was a promise. I know that we saw a glimpse of her in Part One, but in Part Two, she’ll have a prominent part," Villeneuve confirmed to Variety. "We will follow Timothée [Chalamet] and Zendaya on their adventures in the desert. That’s the thing that excited me most about going back to Arrakis is to spend time with those characters again." Another big aspect of the sequel is the focus on the villainous Harkonnen, as Villeneuve recently shared he hopes to explore characters like Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista) in greater depth.
While never officially greenlit by Warner Bros. until after Dune's theatrical release, Dune: Part Two is now set to have its cameras rolling this July, as pre-production has been well underway. From recent casting news like Florence Pugh and Austin Butler filling the roles of Princess Irulan Corrino, the eldest daughter to Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, and the ruthless Harkonnen Feyd-Rautha, the sequel is shaping up to be an even more epic film than its predecessor as it looks to conclude Herbert's first novel in spectacular fashion.
Even though Villeneuve's focus is currently on the sequel and continuing Chani and Paul's stories, it's hard not to look at what he was able to achieve with Dune and the success the film has received both financially and critically. Other than grossing over $400M at the global box office since its release this past October, which is especially impressive during a COVID-19 pandemic era, Dune has also earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture.
Dune: Part Two is slated to release in theatres on October 20, 2023.
Source: Variety