Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve shared that the upcoming sci-fi film is not exactly a sequel to Dune.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Villeneuve clarified that the much-anticipated film will serve as a second part instead of a sequel. "There’s a difference," the award-winning director noted. "I wanted the movie to really open just where we left the characters. There’s no time jump. I wanted dramatic continuity with part one."
Elsewhere in the interview, Villeneuve elaborated on his vision for the film, explaining that he views it as a "war epic action movie." The director highlighted how he was intent on making a "very human movie" that stayed close to its characters despite how ambitious and high-concept the project is.
Paul Atreides and Chani at the Heart of Dune
He also ensured his crew knew that the most integral aspect of the second part is the spark and relationship between its protagonists, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya.) "If we don’t capture that, if we don’t have that onscreen, there’s no movie. The epicenter of the story is this relationship," he said. Chalamet also emphasized the importance of the dynamic between Paul and Chani. "The universe of Dune is a complex world of geopolitics and with tons of ecological and technological metaphors that hold up today," the actor said. "But at the center, there’s this relationship where Chani sort of becomes a moral compass."
Zendaya touched upon how relatable the power of love is even though the film focuses on characters from another planet. The fact that these "tender moments" exist for these characters in the face of turmoil is what remains at the heart of the story. "These characters are just young people forced into really, really intense circumstances," she shared.
Villeneuve had high praise for Chalamet and Zendaya and the manner in which they tackled their characters. He believes that Zendaya is a "fierce warrior" which allowed her to embody a character that has strong opinions about the world and understands the complexities of the colonization of her culture. Of Chalamet, the director said that the actor did a "beautiful job" in bringing a sense of sincerity to his character on screen.
Dune: Part Two is set to release on Nov. 3, 2023. The film will continue to focus on Paul Atreides’ journey as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while avenging the death and destruction of his family. The star-studded cast of the film includes Florence Pugh, Austin Butler and Josh Brolin among others.
Source: Vanity Fair