Dune 2 Officially Announced, Will Release In 2023 Set by Warner Bros
Dune Part One is getting a sequel just days after its initial release. Legendary Pictures announced on Tuesday that Dune Part Two will conclude the plot of Frank Herbert’s original novel and will be released in October 2023.
The sequel to Dune has long been in director Denis Villeneuve’s ideas, but the studio has yet to officially greenlight it. This means that no footage from Part Two has been shot yet, but the production will most likely resume in the near future with the majority of the original cast members in place.
Villeneuve will return for the sequel, as will a large portion of the cast, which includes Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, and Stellan Skarsgrd as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Who else might return is a mystery that will have to be revealed in the film.
Dune Part One is currently in theatres, as well as on HBO Max, where users will be able to stream it for 30 days after its initial release.
This is only the beginning…
Thank you to those who have experienced @dunemovie so far, and those who are going in the days and weeks ahead. We're excited to continue the journey! pic.twitter.com/mZj68Hnm0A— Legendary (@Legendary) October 26, 2021
The first chapter of the Dune series focused on Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, but Dune: Part Two will focus on Zendaya’s Chani. The film Dune is the second adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic novel of the same name.
The film industry’s stormy impacts of COVID-19, Warner Bros.’s co-release strategy on HBO Max, and shifting audience viewing patterns had placed doubt on Dune’s commercial prospects. While some may have questioned the film’s financial viability, Villeneuve was unfazed by the franchise’s uncertain future.
Although 2023 is still a long way off, the placeholder dates provide some insight into the film release landscape. In October 2023, Sony and Marvel have announced an untitled film that will be released on October 6th, as well as a new Exorcist film from Universal Pictures. While Dune: Part Two is still two years away, it will be interesting to watch if any of these release dates shift as a result of this new information.
On October 20, 2023, Dune: Part 2 will be released exclusively in theatres.