Denis Villeneuve took a considerable gamble when he decided to split the novel of Dune into two movies. While the source material was certainly extensive enough for two films, and probably required it in order to cover everything of importance in the tome, there was no guarantee there would actually be a second film. At least, not until we saw the first movie. Now the second film is on the way and while Dune: Part 2 will now take longer than anticipated, it is clearly on the way.
Filming has apparently already begun on Dune: Part Two, despite the fact that the movie has seen its release date delayed from October to November of 2023. While most release date delays we’ve seen over the last couple of years have been due to the pandemic and the residual response to it, this delay, of only a month, is likely done for strictly box office reasons, as the pre-Thanksgiving release will likely help the box office of Dune: Part Two compared to a weekend in October.
Deadline reports that some “pre-shooting” has begun in Altivole, Italy and will last a couple of days. Filming is apparently taking place at the Brion Tomb, a burial plot complete with gardens and water features designed by architect Carlo Scarpa in the late 1960s. The spot could easily stand in for any number of locations within the sci-fi world of Frank Herbert. Standard production with the cast is set to begin in Hungary on July 21, which is where principal photography took place for the original film.
It’s great to see production moving forward, even if it means that Dune Part Two is a month further away than we originally thought. Honestly, considering all the hurdles that movie production still has to face, it’s fairly impressive that the Dune sequel is happening this fast at all. It’s happening at the same speed we used to see sequels to successful films, perhaps nature truly is healing.
In addition to seeing the return of fan-favorite characters from the first film, assuming they survived the first Dune, the sequel will be introducing more great characters and has only made the star-studded cast more impressive. Christopher Walken is on board to play Emperor Shaddam IV. Florence Pugh is set to play Princess Irulan, which will bring her and Timothée Chalamet together again. Austin Butler, who can be seen on screen right now as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, is on board to play Feyd-Rautha, the role made famous by Sting in David Lynch’s ill-fated adaptation, and proof that Butler’s star is clearly on the rise. The cast of Dune: Part Two will just be incredible.
Dune: Part Two may be more than a year away, but it is moving forward. The first movie was clearly worth the wait, and so fans will likely wait as long as necessary for this sequel that will complete the story of Dune.