Development began afterLegendary Entertainment acquired film and television rights fortheDune franchise in 2016. Villeneuve signed on as director in 2017, intending to make a two-part adaptation of the novel due to its complexity. Production contracts were only secured for the first film before the second film wasgreenlit by Legendary in October 2021, subject to the success of the first.Principal photography took place in Budapest, Italy, Jordan, and Abu Dhabi between July and December 2022.
The Fremen accept Paul, but Stilgar commands Jessica to succeed Sietch Tabr's dyingReverend Mother by ritually drinking the normally-fatalWater of Life. She uses her Bene Gesserit training totransmute the poisonous liquid and survive, inheriting the memories of past Reverend Mothers. The liquid prematurely awakens the mind of her unborn daughter,Alia, allowing Jessica to communicate with her. They agree to focus on convincing the more skeptical northern Fremen of the prophecy, whichChani and her friend Shishakli correctly deduce to be a mythfabricated by the Bene Gesserit to manipulate the Fremen. Nonetheless, Chani begins to respect Paul after he declares that he only seeks to fight alongside the Fremen, not rule them.
Jessica travels south to unite with Fremenfundamentalists who believe most strongly in the prophecy. Paul remains in the north, fearful that his visions of an apocalypticholy war will come to pass if he goes south as amessiah. During a raid on asmuggler spice harvester, Paul reunites with the warriorGurney Halleck, who leads Paul to House Atreides' hiddenatomic warhead stockpile. Feyd-Rautha unleashes a devastating attack on the northern Fremen, destroying Sietch Tabr, killing Shishakli, and forcing Paul and the survivors to journey south. Upon arrival, Paul drinks the Water of Life and falls into a coma. Jessicahypnotically compels Chani to save Paul; she gives Paul a mixture of her tears with the Water of Life, which awakens him. With his emergingprescience, Paul perceives countless possible futures and identifies a narrow path to victory, along with a vision of an adult Alia on a water-covered Arrakis. He also discovers that his mother Jessica, is the Baron's daughter, and that her union with DukeLeto Atreides was orchestrated by the Bene Gesserit to merge Harkonnen and Atreides bloodlines in their plan to create the Kwisatz Haderach.
Paul meets with the southern Fremenwar council, galvanizing the crowd by demonstrating his ability to discern their deepest thoughts. He declares himself theLisan al Gaib—a messianic figure—and challenges the Emperor, who arrives on Arrakis with Irulan and theSardaukar military force. As the Emperor chastises the Harkonnens for their failures, the Fremen launch an offensive, using atomics and sandworms to overpower the Sardaukar. Paul kills the Baron and captures the Emperor. Meanwhile, Gurney leads an assault on Arrakeen, intercepting and killing Feyd-Rautha's brother and subordinateBeast Rabban.
Paul challenges the Emperor for the throne and, to Chani's dismay, demandsto marry Irulan. Having been summoned by the Baron, the otherGreat Houses arrive in orbit, ready to invade the planet, but Paul threatens to destroy the spice fields if they intervene. Feyd-Rautha volunteers as the Emperor'schampion and Paul kills him in their duel. Irulan agrees to marry Paul on condition that he spare her father. The Emperor reluctantly surrenders, but the Great Houses reject Paul's ascendancy and Paul orders the Fremen to attack the orbiting fleet. As Stilgar leads the Fremen onto the captured Sardaukar ships, Jessica and Alia reflect on the beginning of Paul's holy war. Chani refuses to bow to Paul and prepares to depart alone on a sandworm.
In November 2016,Legendary Pictures obtained the film and TV rights for theDune franchise, based on theeponymous 1965 novel byFrank Herbert.[11] Vice chair of worldwide production for LegendaryMary Parent began discussing withDenis Villeneuve about directing a film adaptation, quickly hiring him after realizing his passion forDune.[12] In February 2018, Villeneuve was confirmed to be hired as director, and intended to adapt the novel as a two-part film series.[13][14] Villeneuve ultimately secured a two-film deal withWarner Bros. Pictures, in the same style as the two-part adaption ofStephen King'sIt in2017 and2019.[15] In January 2019,Joe Walker was confirmed as the film's editor.[16] Other crew included Brad Riker as supervising art director,Patrice Vermette as production designer,Paul Lambert as visual effects supervisor, Gerd Nefzer as special effects supervisor, and Thomas Struthers as stunt coordinator.[17]
Dune: Part Two was produced by Villeneuve,Mary Parent, and Cale Boyter, with Tanya Lapointe,Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert,Thomas Tull, Jon Spaihts, Richard P. Rubinstein,John Harrison, and Herbert W. Gain serving as executive producers andKevin J. Anderson as creative consultant.[18] Legendary CEO Joshua Grode confirmed in April 2019 that they plan to make a sequel, adding that "there's a logical place to stop the [first] movie before the book is over".[19]
In December 2020, Villeneuve stated that due to Warner Bros.' plan to release the film in theaters and onHBO Max simultaneously, the first film could underperform financially, resulting in cancellation of the planned sequel.[20] In anIMAX screening of the first film's first ten minutes, the title logo readDune: Part One, lending credence to plans for the sequel.[21] In August 2021, Villeneuve spoke more confidently about the chances of a sequel film, iterating his excitement to work with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya again,[22] while stating Chani would have a bigger role in the sequel.[23] Warner Bros. assured Villeneuve a sequel would be greenlit as long as the film performed well on HBO Max.[24] Just days prior to the first film's release, Warner Bros. CEOAnn Sarnoff stated, "Will we have a sequel toDune? If you watch the movie you see how it ends. I think you pretty much know the answer to that".[25]
On October 26, 2021, Legendary officially greenlitDune: Part Two, with a spokesperson for the company stating, "We would not have gotten to this point without the extraordinary vision of Denis and the amazing work of his talented crew, the writers, our stellar cast, our partners at Warner Bros., and of course the fans! Here's to moreDune".[26] Production work had occurred back-to-back with the first film, as Villeneuve and his wife Lapointe immediately took a flight toBudapest in order to beginpre-production work.[27] A key point of negotiation prior to greenlighting the sequel was assuring that the sequel would have an exclusive window where it would only be shown theatrically, with Legendary and Warner Bros. agreeing to giveDune: Part Two a 45-day window before it would be available through other channels. Villeneuve said this theatrical exclusivity was a "non-negotiable condition", and that "the theatrical experience is at the very heart of the cinematic language for me".[28] WithDune: Part Two being greenlit, Villeneuve said that his primary concern was to complete the filming as soon as possible, with the earliest he expected to start in the last quarter of 2022. He noted that production would be expedited by the work already done for the first film.[28]
Eric Roth was hired to co-write the screenplay in April 2017 for theDune films,[29] andJon Spaihts was later confirmed to be co-writing the script alongside Roth and Villeneuve.[30]Game of Thrones (2011-2019) language creatorDavid Peterson was confirmed to be developing languages for the film in April 2019.[31] Villeneuve and Peterson had created theChakobsa language, which was used by actors on set.[32] In November 2019, Spaihts stepped down as show-runner forDune: Prophecy (2024–present) to focus onDune: Part Two.[33] In June 2020,Greig Fraser said, "It's a fully formed story in itself with places to go. It's a fully standalone epic film that people will get a lot out of when they see it".[34]
Between the release ofDune and the confirmation ofDune: Part Two, Villeneuve started working the script in a way that production could begin immediately once the film was greenlit.[35] By February 2021, Roth created a full treatment for the sequel,[36] with writing beginning that August.[37] He confirmed that Feyd-Rautha would appear in the film, and stated he will be a "very important character".[38] In March 2022, Villeneuve had mostly finished writing the screenplay.[39]Craig Mazin and Roth wrote additional literary material for the film.[40]
Villeneuve stated that the film would continue directly from the first, and specifically described it as being the "second part".[41] He described the film as being an "epic war movie", adding that while the first film was more "contemplative", the second would feature more action.[42] Villeneuve sought to anchor the movie to the characters, primarily Paul and Chani. With the two featured in an "epic love story" between them, Villeneuve described them as the "epicenter of the story". Zendaya initially found difficulty in creating dialogue, commenting that "It was funny trying to figure out in this futuristic space talk, like, how do they flirt?" Chalamet also added that Paul would be heavily influenced by Chani, serving as his "moral compass". Paul becomes deeply embedded in Fremen culture, developing a closer bond with Stilgar, who becomes his surrogate father figure and mentor, while tensions emerge between Chani and Lady Jessica, as Chani is aware that Jessica's schemes negatively impact the Fremen.[41]
The script ultimately conveys Chani as a nonbeliever of the prophecy and intended for its structure to first convey their romantic relationship from Paul's perspective, and eventually pivot to Chani's perspective as the audience realizes Paul's desire for power and insidious nature.[43] He focused on Herbert's original intention to depict Paul as anantihero inDune, on his way to becoming a villain, and wrote the script with that in mind while also considering his future plans regardingDune Messiah (1969), particularly by modifying Chani's characterization as he felt that she eventually "disappeared in Paul's shadows" in the book.[44][45] Feeling he had the "benefit of time" in doing so, Villeneuve decided to use all the elements of Paul'scharacter arc and "play them a bit differently" in order to establish his eventual transformation into a villainous figure and becoming "what he was trying to fight against".[43] He expanded the role of Chani and Lady Jessica from the novel, and interpreted Chani as being a critique of power.[32]
When envisioning the sandworm sequence, Villeneuve primarily relied upon his own drawings andstoryboards, as he felt the book did not contain adequate descriptions. He later cited it as being one of his favorite scenes in the film.[46] When writing Paul's character arc, he considered Paul as transforming from a "humble" figure to a "dark messianic figure", and took inspiration fromKatsuhiro Otomo'sAkira (1988) when designing the storyboards.[47] Villeneuve felt the film's ending was more "tragic" than that of the book, feeling that it adequately resolved Paul's storyline across theDune films while setting up his character arc fora potential third film based onDune Messiah.[48]
Following the first film, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is described as being heavily debilitated and reliant upon being submerged in fluids, while focusing on choosing an heir: Glossu "Beast" Rabban or Feyd-Rautha, both his nephews. Rabban was regarded as being a bad strategist, while Feyd-Rautha is shown to be clever, cunning, and charismatic.[41] ActorAustin Butler felt Feyd-Rautha's character served as "flip sides of the same coin" to Paul, as both had been involved in the Bene Gesserit's genetic breeding program. Butler opined that Feyd-Rautha's upbringing on Giedi Prime and self-care for his body explained his arrogance. Meanwhile, Villeneuve noted hispsychopathic personality and brutality similar to that of an animal, contrasted with his "code of honors" and reverence for fighters.[49]
Lady Jessica is heavily traumatized by the death of Duke Leto, being compared to Paul as a "survivor" and strategizing to realize the ambitions of the Bene Gesserit, who aim to fulfill their prophecy to maximize human potential, disregarding morality and ethics. There is additional focus on the political aspect, with Princess Irulan fearing that her father, Emperor Shaddam IV, will lose his throne due to his loss of influence over warring factions.[41] During the sequence of Paul's consumption of the Water of Life, Villeneuve deliberately altered the timeframe to depict an adult Alia for a dramatic effect, and to highlight Alia's unique birth. He and Spaihts decided to "compress" the time for both the sequence and Lady Jessica's pregnancy in order to establish more narrative tension. He added that Lady Jessica's conversations with an embryonic Alia was unique, as he felt it was "fresh and original to have a character who is powerful and still a pregnant woman" while also conveying how others perceive Alia as an "abomination".[7] Like Chani and Lady Jessica, Villeneuve further developed Princess Irulan's character and motivations from the novel, with actressFlorence Pugh noting her reserved nature and intelligence.[32]
In March 2022, Pugh and Butler were reported to be in talks to star in the film asPrincess Irulan and Harkonnen heirFeyd-Rautha, respectively.[50][51] Butler was offered the role while having coffee with Villeneuve, without needing toaudition. He trained for four months inBudapest, using a fitness regimen made by an ex-Navy SEALs member.[52][49] Villeneuve described his performance as being a "cross between a psychopath killer, an Olympic sword master, a snake, andMick Jagger" while Butler researched past cultures he felt "bred brutality" and took inspiration from various animals including sharks and snakes.[53][54]
In January 2023,Tim Blake Nelson was added to the cast in an undisclosed role.[9] Attending the film's London premiere in February 2024,Anya Taylor-Joy confirmed that she had been cast in the film.[59] Villeneuve was surprised that her role had been kept a secret for that long, noting it required "so much work to keep that secret". Her role had been revealed in a casting credit list for the film onLetterboxd.[60]
Pre-shooting began on July 4, 2022, at theBrion tomb inAltivole, Italy, for two days.[61]Principal photography was set to begin on July 21 inBudapest,Hungary,[61] but began earlier on July 18.[8][62] The film was entirely shot usingArri Alexa LFdigital cameras, with new filming locations and sets being used "to avoid repetition".[63] In October 2022, Chalamet took a break from filming in order to attend the premiere ofBones and All (2022).[64] The production team managed to shoot during thepartial solar eclipse of October 25, and used the footage for the opening fight scene between Harkonnen and Fremen soldiers.[65] While the scene called for an eclipse, Villeneuve did not know beforehand that filming would coincide with an actual eclipse. In order to ensure that the sun was behind Lady Jessica in a shot where she kills a Harkonnen soldier with a rock, cinematographerGreig Fraser calculated that the shot needed to be filmed at precisely 9:45 in the morning on November 3.[66]
That month, production moved toAbu Dhabi and Pugh finished her scenes.[67][68] Certain scenes set at dawn had to be filmed across three days to take advantage of thegolden hour.[69] A special unit of production filmed scenes with Taylor-Joy in theNamib desert.[70] Filmingwrapped on December 12, 2022.[71] Due to the delays, Villeneuve was able to make a film transfer for projection using theIMAX 70 mm and conventional70 mm film formats.[35]
Pugh delivered Princess Irulan's opening narration during her first day of filming and for overall production.[72] Villeneuve and Fraser filmed Feyd-Rautha's gladiator sequence with specially designedblack-and-whiteinfrared cameras. They wanted the Harkonnens to cheer and stomp rather than applaud, and designed over 30 sections for spectators in the arena.[73] Butler spent his first week on set filming the scene, while the set had very high temperatures that caused some people to faint.[74] He also improvised his kiss scene with the Baron.[75]
For romantic scenes between Paul and Chani, the scenes were primarily filmed in remote locations in Jordan during thegolden hour. The scenes were often filmed as quickly as possible, with only a one-hour window being available.[41] The scene of Paul's sandworm ride was filmed practically on a production unit, separate from the main one, led by producer Tanya Lapointe and a special team. Chalamet filmed his scenes on a platform meant to imitate a portion of the sandworm, with gripping devices serving as the reference for the Fremen hooks. An industrial fan blew sand on set to emulate the desert climate.[76] Chalamet estimated the scene took over three months to film, with individual shoots occurring over a span of 20–30 minutes. As the actual sandworm was not built and there were no reference shots, the production team designed a small portion of the worm on set and the actors had to physically visualize and imitate riding the sandworm.[77][78]
Butler and Chalamet separately trained with aKali instructor in Los Angeles for the climactic battle between Paul and Feyd-Rautha. They were excited to do the scene, and immediately began practicing once they later met in Budapest. They performed the scene by themselves, including for wide camera shots. Chalamet delivers the monologue entirely inChakobsa.[79][80] Ferguson cited Lady Jessica undergoing the Reverend Mother process as her favorite scene, working with contortionists for the scene and comparing it to anExorcist film.[81]
Hans Zimmer returned to compose the score ofDune: Part Two.
Hans Zimmer returned to compose the film's score after doing so forthe previous film.[82] Zimmer had composed over 90 minutes of music prior to the announcement of the film to help give Villeneuve inspiration when writing.[83] Two singles were released on February 15, 2024, byWaterTower Music, titled "A Time of Quiet Between the Storms" and "Harvester Attack". The full soundtrack album was released on February 23.[84]
A teaser trailer forDune: Part Two was presented during the Warner Bros. panel atCinemaCon on April 27, 2023.[63][42] First-look footage of the cast in-character were released online, alongside a teaser poster, on May 2, 2023.[85] The trailer was released to the public the following day.[86]Variety called it "breathtaking";[87]GQ hailed the shots of Paul riding a sandworm as "the standout sequence";[88] andFangoria remarked: "If you're not excited for this one, we dunno what to tell you".[89] Chalamet and Zendaya later discussed and promoted the film at a Warner Bros. presentation atCineEurope on June 21.[90]
A second trailer was released on June 29, 2023.[91] Chris Evangelista of/Film was excited about the appearance of Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV.[92] Ben Travis ofEmpire praised the "seismic" and "astounding, none-more-eye-boggling" imagery, feeling the scope to be "particularly expansive" and noted the monochromatic footage depicting Butler's Feyd-Rautha while calling the footage of Walken's appearance "impactful".[93] Joshua Rivera ofPolygon opined "the trailer, simply put, rocks" and enjoyed the footage present.[94]
The film was promoted during the December 2023CCXP with Chalamet, Zendaya, Pugh, Butler, and Villeneuve, where over 10 minutes of footage was released.[95] Additional footage fromDune: Part Two was shown during a limited IMAX theatrical re-release ofChristopher Nolan'sTenet (2020), as part of Warner Bros.' celebration for the former film's release.[96][97]
Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures partnered withXbox to provide an immersive content suite related to the film, and visual designs inspired by the film being featured on a floating controller,Xbox Series X, and a console holder.Microsoft Flight Simulator also included anexpansion pack allowing players to explore Arrakis and pilot the Royal AtreidesOrnithopter.[98] In November 2023, the Sardaukar were added toCall of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) in a collaboration pack.[99] A month later, Paul and Feyd-Rautha were added as playable operators to its sequel,Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023), with an additional Harkonnen soldier skin being announced in March 2024.[100][101] In September 2023,McFarlane Toys announced a new line of 7-inch figures modeled after characters from the sequel film.[102]Legendary Comics will releaseDune: Part Two – The Official Movie Graphic Novel with the help ofKickstarter in the same way the previous adaptation was published.[103]
Research conducted by Nikolaj Mathies, CEO of Vievo Media, said the promotional campaign for the film onTikTok included 117 posts over a year leading up to its release, an increase from the first film's 108. Messages directly from the cast comprised 24% of the content, with videos featuring Zendaya and Chalamet generating significantly higher viewership. Red carpet content was prioritized to appeal to female audiences, a tactic that contributed to an estimated $2 million increase in the opening box office. According to the marketing research company FanBox, 57% of TikTok users are female and hashtags such as #zendaya have garnered billions of views, leading the core audience forDune to grow significantly, with a 67.5% increase overall from 2.6 million to 8 million and an 84% increase among "superfans".[104]
Promotion in Japan also included a collaboration withMobile Suit Gundam SEED – specifically, theirFreedom film. The collaboration featured an alternate version ofDune: Part Two's movie poster featuringLacus Clyne andKira Yamato in place of Chani and Paul respectively.[105]
Reactions to the bucket received millions of views on the social networkTikTok,[109] and jokes about it were featured on USlate-night television, including a musical sketch onSaturday Night Live with cast membersMarcello Hernandez,Devon Walker,Bowen Yang, and episode hostAyo Edebiri.[110][111] The extensive online attention paid to the bucket led the media to ask much ofDune: Part Two's main cast for their reactions.[112] Denis Villeneuve said that the bucket was an "insane marketing idea"[113] that "brought a lot of laughter and joy".[114]
Griffin Newman inThe New York Times chalked up the bucket's appeal to the "magic alchemy" that results from an object that so many people become "perversely fascinated" by.[115] The product was one of several popcorn buckets AMC had designed and released alongside recent films, including character heads forSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and "burn books" forMean Girls.[115]
Over a month afterDune: Part Two's release, AMC's chief content officer stated that "we would have never created [the bucket] knowing it would be celebrated or mocked", but added that they would continue to create collectible popcorn buckets for other films.[116] At that time, theDune popcorn buckets were being resold for as high as $175.[113] In the wake of this viral popularity,Marvel Studios announced a bucket of their own for the filmDeadpool & Wolverine.[117] Lead actorRyan Reynolds claimed to have had a hand in its design,[118] and producerKevin Feige described it as "intentionally crude and lewd".[119] However, Villeneuve said that these buckets did not favorably compare toDune's. "The Dune bucket was one of a kind", he said.[120]
Zendaya and Timotheé Chalamet promoting the film in 2024
Dune: Part Two was originally scheduled to be released on October 20, 2023,[121] but was delayed to November 17, 2023,[122] before moving forward two weeks to November 3, 2023, to adjust to changes in release schedules from other studios.[123] It was later postponed by over four months to March 15, 2024, due to the2023 Hollywood labor disputes.[124] After the strikes were resolved, the film moved once more up two weeks to March 1, 2024.[125]
Following the success ofOppenheimer (2023) in the format,Dune: Part Two was released in the IMAX 15-perforation70 mm format to twelve venues worldwide,[126] and in standard 5-perforation 70 mm format to 38 venues worldwide.[127]
On January 16, 2024, the film was shown to a dying man in apalliative care home in the Canadian city ofSaguenay, in Denis Villeneuve's native province ofQuebec.[131][132] The man had expressed a wish to seeDune: Part Two before his death. Josée Gagnon, the cofounder of a company aiming to accompany people at the end of life, relayed his wish to Villeneuve andTanya Lapointe, his partner and one of the film's producers, through a viral call-out onFacebook. According to Gagnon, Villeneuve and Lapointe "were very touched".[133] The pair initially offered to invite the man to seeDune: Part Two inLos Angeles orMontreal, but since he was too weak to travel, Villeneuve eventually decided to send one of his assistants directly to Saguenay with his private laptop.[131][133] The film was screened in a room of the care facility, where everyone was required to hand in their cellphones and signwaivers.[133] The man was in too much pain to watch the entire film and stopped halfway through.[132] He eventually died on January 25.[134] This act, which theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation referred to as the actual "world premiere" of the film, was publicly disclosed after its theatrical release.[135][131]
The film was releaseddigitally on April 16, 2024, andBlu-ray,DVD andUltra HD Blu-ray on May 14, 2024, byWarner Bros. Home Entertainment.[136]Dune: Part Two became available to stream on Max on May 21, 2024.[137] It became the second best-selling film in 2024, across all home entertainment formats in the United Kingdom, with 817,000 units, also achieving first place in physical sales with 132,000 disc units worth $2.5 million.[138]
Dune: Part Two grossed $282.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $432.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $715.4 million.[3][4] The film made over $145 million in IMAX alone.[139]The Hollywood Reporter estimated that the film wouldbreak-even after grossing around $500 million.[140]Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $184.3million, accounting for production budgets, marketing, talent participations and other costs; box office grosses, television and streaming, and home media revenues, makingDune: Part Two the seventh-most profitable blockbuster of 2024.[141]
In the United States and Canada, the film's advanced ticket sales surpassed those ofOppenheimer (2023), and it was projected to gross $65–80 million from 4,050 theaters in its opening weekend.[142] The film made $32.2 million on its first day, including $12 million from previews on February 25 and 29; IMAX screenings made up $4.5 million (38%) of the early totals.[143] It went on to debut to $82.5 million,[144] doubling the first film's $41 million opening weekend; IMAX screenings made up $18.5 million (23%) of the total, a record for a March release.[143][145] According to Jeff Goldstein, president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros.,[146] it was "much higher than any of us could predict", especially for "a genre that is a hard nut to crack".[147] In its second weekend the film made $46.2 million (a 44% drop), finishing second behind newcomerKung Fu Panda 4. It also surpassed the entire domestic gross of the first film ($108 million) in just seven days.[148] The film made $28.5 million in its third weekend and $17.6 million in its fourth, remaining in second both times.[149][150] It also became Timothée Chalamet's highest-grossing film in a leading role, surpassingWonka (2023).[151]
Outside the US and Canada, the film was expected to gross $85–90 million from 71 markets in its opening weekend.[142] It grossed $100.02 million in the first three days.[152] In its second weekend, the sci-fi epic added $81 million from 72 international markets, including a $20 million opening in China.[153]Dune: Part Two continued to hold well, grossing $51.2 million and $30.7 million in its third and fourth weekends respectively.[154][155] As of April 14, 2024, the highest grossing markets were the United Kingdom ($48.1 million), China ($48.1 million), France ($41.8 million), Germany ($38.7 million), and Australia ($22 million).[156]
The film "largely received rave reviews from critics",[157][158][159] and was praised for its visual effects and cast performances. Some reviews considered it one of the greatest science fiction films ever made.[160][161] On thereview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, 92% of 456 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "Visually thrilling and narratively epic,Dune: Part Two continues Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of the beloved sci-fi series in spectacular form."[162]Metacritic, which uses aweighted average, assigned the film a score of 79 out of 100, based on 62 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[163] Audiences surveyed byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale (up from the first film's "A–"), while those polled byPostTrak gave it a 94% overall positive score, with 80% saying they would definitely recommend it.[143]
Richard Roeper, writing for theChicago Sun-Times, gave the film three stars out of four, praising the technical and narrative aspects, writing, "Even as we marvel at the stunning and immersive and Oscar-level cinematography, editing, score, visual effects, production design and sound in Denis Villeneuve'sDune: Part Two, we're reminded at every turn that this is an absolutely bat-bleep [sic] crazy story".[164]
Other reviews were more mixed. InThe Hollywood Reporter, Lovia Gyarkye praised the film's technical aspects and performances, but found it failed to fully adapt the book's nuance on themes such as imperialism.[172] Nicholas Barber wrote for theBBC that the film is "one of the most jaw-droppingly weird pieces of art-house psychedelia ever to come from a major studio", finding the film's grand scale made up for its issues.[173] At the more negative end, Noah Berlatsky writing forCNN judged that the film had failed to "present an effective anti-colonial vision" by still being centred around Paul's destiny despite an increased voice of opposition from Chani.[174]
Some commentators have criticized the film for failing to adequately deal with the original book'sMiddle East and North Africa (MENA) influences or otherwise incorporate enough representation from the region.[175] Furvah Shah, writing for the UK edition ofCosmopolitan, said she "felt frustrated as a Muslim viewer", criticizing the film for a lack of MENA casting among the leads despite the use of the region's culture and superficial use of Islam.[176]The New Arab's Hannah Flint also criticized the use of Arab and Islamic cultural items and lack of MENA casting, though did praise that of Swiss-Tunisian actressSouheila Yacoub as a "win for Arab representation".[177] Steven D. Greydanus, inU.S. Catholic, gives a contrasting view of the film's religious inspirations, noting that the film draws from a number of Abrahamic religions for the purpose of critiquing faith itself, while also noting the "spiritualization of ecological concerns" through the Fremen and an "implicit pro-life resonance" through the "development of Jessica's unborn daughter as a real character".[178]
Villeneuve has expressed interest in making a third film based onDune Messiah, the second novel in the series, noting that the possibility for the film depended on the success ofDune: Part Two.[179][180][181] Spaihts stated in March 2022 that Villeneuve had plans for a third film as well as the television spin-off seriesDune: Prophecy.[182] In August 2023, Villeneuve said the third film would serve as the conclusion of a trilogy.[180] He began developing a script in 2023.[183] In February 2024, Villeneuve said the script was "almost finished" but he did not want to rush it, citing Hollywood's tendency of focusing on release dates over a film's overall quality;[184] "I want to make sure that if we go back there a third time I want it to be good and I want it to be even better thanPart Two".[27] Villeneuve also considered waiting a few years for Chalamet to grow older, given thatDune Messiah is set 12 years after the events of the original novel.[185]
Ahead ofDune: Part Two's release, Zimmer revealed he was already writing music for a third film after Villeneuve came in and "wordlessly" put a copy ofDune Messiah on his desk.[186] In April 2024, it was reported that Villeneuve and Legendary had officially begun development on the third film.[187][188] Villeneuve has said thatMessiah would be his finalDune film,[189] and said in September 2024, "It would be a good idea for me to make sure that, inMessiah, there are the seeds in the project if someone wants to do something else afterwards, because they are beautiful books. They are more difficult to adapt. They become more and more esoteric. It's a bit more tricky to adapt, but I'm not closing the door. I will not do it myself, but it could happen with someone else".[190]
^"ROSSIGNOL, M. Alain 1961–2024".Coopérative funéraire du Fjord (in French). January 26, 2024.Archived from the original on March 15, 2024. RetrievedMarch 15, 2024.
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