We’re now in November, which means that the Dune 2 release date is officially less than a year away. Back in 2021, Denis Villeneuve’s latest science fiction movie took the world by storm. It was an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel, led by a genuinely star-studded cast. What could go wrong?
Well, a lot, actually. There have been many attempts to bring Dune to the big screen, not least by David Lynch, and Villeneuve’s version is the first one to unambiguously succeed. By making the wise decision to split the epic space action movie into two halves, Villeneuve was able to have the time and space to establish the different worlds and factions that are so important to Dune.
The audience was also able to build a better connection with character like Duke Leto Atreides, before his death, as well as Duncan, Gurney, Jessica, and Paul, while also becoming more comfortable with the complex and intricate political situation at play. The only downside was that the wait for Dune 2 seemed to be so, so long away.
Thankfully, that wait not looks increasingly short as Dune 2 is now scheduled for release in less than a year’s time on November 3, 2023. This has sparked up even more excitement for Dune 2 among fans, who have been celebrating the news online.
With all that excitement, anticipation for the sci-fi drama movie is increasing day by day. That’s a double-edged sword, because while it bodes well for the financial performance of Dune 2, fans’ expectations are sky-high.
Thankfully, if Dune 2 follows Herbert’s novel as closely as the first movie, that won’t be an issue because there will be much more action, drama, and excitement in Dune 2. The second half of the book races by at a much faster pace, because all the important work of establishing the setting and political factors is done in the first half.
There will also be new characters in the sequel, including new members of the Fremen, Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan, and a new Harkonnen. Austin Butler will be portraying Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, who will act as Paul’s nemesis and main opponent, before he manages to confront the evil Baron Harkonnen.
The promise of all this will only make the wait feel even longer. But, barring a delay, we’re now less than a year away. That seems manageable, doesn’t it? For more Dune related fun, check out our guide to House Atreides and House Harkonnen explained.