It looks like the days of development hell for Frank Herbert’sDuneare over, as Legendary Entertainment has confirmed there will be aDune Part: Twoin the future, which isn’t too surprising considering the first film’s early reception. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, the sequel is slated for release on July 28, 2025.
Prior to this announcement, Denis Villeneuve’sDunehad been the subject of some speculation regarding how Warner Bros. would measure the success of the film, whose budget was in the $165 million region. With a parallel HBO Max release potentially disrupting box office earnings, the studio was rumored to rely more heavily on streaming numbers to gauge interest in it, though that hasn’t stoppedDunefrom making millions all over the world.
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All of this might be the reason why Legendary Entertainment broke the news via a Twitter post thatDune: Part Oneis only the beginning of the franchise’s new cinematic chapter andPart Twohas officially been given the green light. Although the tweet did not give out any further details, it’s all but confirmed thatPart Twowill stick with the same director seeing asVilleneuve has big plans for aDunesequel. “We’re excited to continue the journey,” Legendary wrote in the post, which also thanked moviegoers who have experiencedDune: Part Onealready as well as those who will see it in the coming days and weeks.
At the time of writingDunehas recouped a healthy $223.2 million in box office revenue worldwide, which puts the film well on track to turn a profit for Warner Bros. However, most importantly, Villeneuve’s style has won over most critics and fans ofDunewith a stunning visual masterpiece. With the likes ofChristopher Nolan praising the newDuneadaptation, it’s no surprise the sequel has been approved.
Villeneuve is, of course, no stranger to making beautiful films such asArrivalandBlade Runner 2049, though the latter’s cult-like status has probably kept it away from the eyes of an audience as big asDune’s. In any case,Dune: Part Twowill be a relief for anyone who’s already watched part one and was left wondering what happens next on the planet of Arrakis.
While differences between book and film are always to be expected, Villeneuve’sDuneeven starts off in a completely different way and cuts the story short at around what would be the 500-page mark for Herbert’s first novel. In any case, there will probably be plenty of time to catch up withDune’s vast 30,000 years timeline until then.
Duneis currently available in theaters and on HBO Max.
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