The movie sequel to the sci-fi favorite franchise had been greenlighted by the studio shortly after its 2021 premiere, with the original plans booking Dune: Part Two for an October 20, 2023, release. Instead, the second part of Villeneuve’s take on the original Dune novel now heads over to the next year’s November 3 week in order to secure better scheduling that wasn’t originally available when the film was announced.
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The news was officially disclosed by Warner Bros. on the back of Marvel Studios’ own announcement that Blade and several other MCU movies such as Deadpool 3, Fantastic Four, and Avengers: Secret Wars would also be pushed back. In that context, it makes perfect sense for Dune: Part Two to take up the spot. That said, it won’t affect any of Warner Bros.’ other films coming out near that time frame, like Blue Beetle, The Nun 2, or its other Timothée Chalamet flick, Wonka.
Dune: Part Two has slowly but steadily been adding names to its cast. Among the newcomers to Dune are Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Christopher Walken and Austin Butler, with early production already beginning in the summer. Naturally, everyone who survived the events of the first Dune film will reprise their respective roles, meaning Oscar Isaac and Jason Momoa will be the only big names missing in the sequel.
Suffice it to say, despite the rocky times at Warner Bros. Discovery, Dune has been chosen as one of the studio’s leading properties in the company’s new era, as the accompanying prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood is safe from cancellation. Dune remains a staple of the sci-fi genre, and not even its HBO Max release prevented its visual spectacle from securing solid box office earnings.
Villeneuve’s Dune came off as one of last year’s most beautiful films, making spectacular use of its CGI effects and film locations to immerse viewers in the sandy planet of Arrakis, while also winning plenty of praise and awards for its musical score, cinematography, and overall aesthetic values. To make things better, Villeneuve has hinted that Dune: Part Two is when he’ll really get to start having fun with the franchise.
Dune: Part Two will be released in theaters on November 3, 2023.
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Source: Warner Bros. Pictures
