Despite a recent release date delay, Dune: Part Two will go into production much sooner than expected. Courtesy of a report by Deadline, Dune: Part Two has now entered pre-production in Altivole, Italy, with the main cast expected to join the project for full-on production later this month in Budapest, Hungary. According to the report, Dune: Part Two will begin filming on July 21, so expect to see a lot more from the next chapter in director Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction saga very soon.
Released last year, the first Dune stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
Dune: Part One hurls audiences into the far future of humanity, as Duke Leto Atreides accepts stewardship of the dangerous desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe, "melange" AKA "spice"). Though Leto knows the opportunity is an intricate trap set by his enemies, he takes his concubine Lady Jessica and young son and heir Paul to Arrakis. Not long after their arrival, a bitter betrayal leads Paul and Jessica to the Fremen, natives of Arrakis who live in the deep desert.
Dune: Part 2 Will Add Several Big Stars as Major Characters
The second part of Dune will add several big stars to the already stellar ensemble cast. Midsommar and Black Widow star Florence Pugh has signed on to star as Princess Irulan; Elvis actor Austin Butler will join the sci-fi epic as Feyd-Rautha, the younger nephew and heir of the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and well-renowned warrior; and Hollywood icon Christopher Walken will also add his name and talents to Dune: Part Two, playing s Emperor Shaddam IV.
The most recent addition comes in the form of Crimes of the Future and No Time to Die star Léa Seydoux, who will join Dune: Part Two as Lady Margot. One of the Bene Gesserit, Lady Margot possesses superhuman abilities through mental and physical conditioning and the use of the drug melange. Each of these new characters is expected to wake waves when they appear in the sequel, with Dune: Part Two all set to be even more impressive than its predecessor.
Bigger and better is certainly something that cinematographer Greig Fraser expects of the sequel. "I've been trained by the house of the mouse at Lucasfilm not to give you any scoops,” the Academy Award winner said back in March. “But I can tell you that this is a bigger story. I've read the script, and I'm more blown away by this script than I was by Part One. I'm more excited. I was sitting in a meeting with Denis and [production designer] Patrice [Vermette] and Paul [Lambert] the other day at Denis' house talking about this film, and I turned to Denis and said, I can't believe these people pay us to do this. This is ridiculous. They pay us to make these movies which are so exciting and so amazing. I can tell you it's bigger and better."
Dune: Part Two recently suffered a release date delay, moving from October 20 to November 17, 2023.