UPDATE 10/26/21

Dune Part 2 has been greenlit. The film will drop sometime in 2023. Read more about the announcement, here. 

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The lead-up to the release of the epic science fiction film, Dune, has been intense, to say the least. Book fans have been craving an adaption worthy of the seminal work by Frank Herbert. Fans of the 1984 David Lynch Dune film have also been champing at the bit for another take the story. Let’s also not forget the 2000 television mini-series (which I liked) from Syfy back when the channel was still called Sci-Fi. That version covered more than one book in the Dune series.

What fans got this past weekend from director Denis Villeneuve was indeed, epic in every sense of the word. The director handed fans a film that deeply honors the book and its world-building. It also brings the look of this hard science fiction world to life. The costumes, the sets, the art direction, the CGI — are all visually stunning and the score by Hans Zimmer will reach through the theater seats, or couch, and rattle your very bones. And yes, the cast was superb. Each actor stepping into their role with the respect this saga deserves.

One reason that Villeneuve’s Dune is so good is that the film only covers half the book. Frank Herbert’s Dune series is, without exaggeration, quite dense. Trying to put Herbert’s first book into one movie is monumentally challenging, and as we’ve seen, just doesn’t work. Villeneuve’s idea, did. Spectacularly. But here’s the thing, there’s no Dune 2 confirmed yet. Even though Warner Bros and Legendary gave their approval to call this film “Part 1,” no sequel has been greenlit.  There have been rumblings though. Villeneuve has talked in the past about wanting this to be “two films, maybe more.” He said recently that he is “standing with one foot in the air, waiting for the permission to make Part Two.” 

It seems ridiculous that a sequel to finish the book on screen hasn’t been confirmed officially. But unofficially, it seems as if the studios already have an answer. According to Deadline, WarnerMedia Studios executive, Ann Sarnoff, said when asked if there would be a second film, “If you watch the movie you see how it ends. I think you pretty much know the answer to that.” Okay, that is great news! So why are they waiting to announce it officially?

Most likely to see the box office gains and drama. The box office results are very good. The movie, which was released in theaters and on HBO Max, brought in over $40M domestically which brings the film’s worldwide tally to over $220M. These numbers are greater than initial projections.

Perhaps Warner Bros and Legendary are relishing making fans wait for a big announcement. The drama is working. Dune 2 is trending on Twitter right now. Fans are specifically keeping an eagle eye on Timothee Chalamet’s and Zendaya’s Twitter and Instagram accounts for an announcement. It’s a bit of a frenzy where some are even picking apart Chalamet’s Insta profile pic as a clue.

Hopefully, we’ll hear the confirmation tonight or tomorrow. I mean, the Sardaukar have nothing on legions of angry Timothee Chalamet fans. That’s just a fact.

 

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