The release date for Warner Bros. and Legendary's Dune sequel has been pushed back by almost a full month.
As reported by Variety, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two is now scheduled to hit theaters on Nov. 17, 2023, up from its original release date of Oct. 20, 2023. No specific reason has been given, but the film will now release around the same time as The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and The TrollsTopia Movie.
Villeneuve has been open with moviegoers about the progression of the film, including its cast and stages of production. Earlier this year, the director believed filming would take place earlier than expected, explaining, "I will say it is mostly designed. The thing that helps us right now is that it's the first time I've revisited a universe. So I'm working with the same crew, everybody knows what to do, we know what it will look like. The movie will be more challenging, but we know where we are stepping." Reports thus far suggest the pandemic has not impacted production and it has not been cited as a reason for the recent premiere delay.
Dune: Part Two will adapt the second half of author Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel. It is set to begin immediately after the events of 2021's Dune. Actors Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya will return in their respective roles, with newcomers Christopher Walken and Léa Seydoux joining them, playing Emperor Shaddam IV and Lady Margot, respectively.
Details concerning the plot of the film are scarce. However, Villeneuve previously teased a more cinematic experience than what audiences saw with Dune. He stated, "[Dune: Part Two is] the journey where Paul Atreides and his mother, Lady Jessica, make contact with the Fremen culture and meet with the Fremen," Villeneuve said. "It's Paul's journey against the enemy. It's a movie that will be more cinematic."
Furthermore, the filmmaker hinted at the possibility of a third instalment in the Dune saga. He explained, "Now I could envision a third movie and to make the adaptation of Dune Messiah that will complete Paul Atreides's story that I think would make sense... But each movie, those movies are monsters, and I can only do one at a time. If I survive Dune: Part Two, then I might do the Messiah."
Source: Variety