Dune 2 begins filming as full cast and synopsis confirmed

It’s official – we’re heading back to Arrakis. Filming has begun on Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two after a slew of casting announcements and release date shifts in recent months. The news was confirmed on the film’s official Twitter page as Warner Bros. also confirmed the synopsis and cast for the upcoming movie. 

The second part of the Frank Herbert adaptation focuses on Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) on his mythic journey with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen. He’ll be on a warpath of revenge against those who killed his family. All the while, Atreides will be trying to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. 

Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are joined by returning cast members Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, and Stephen McKinley Henderson. 

Several new additions are also joining the cast for Part Two. Elvis star Austin Butler has been cast as Feyd Rautha, Christopher Walken will play the Emperor, and Florence Pugh will star as Princess Irulan Corrino. Léa Seydoux and Souheila Yacoub complete the ensemble cast.

Speaking about the sequel, Bardem had a lot of praise for the direction writers Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts are going in. He said during a Q&A at the Cannes Film Festival: "I think they’ve done an amazing job of putting together the pieces in a way that is gonna surprise people. They won’t be surprised [by what happens], obviously, because they’ve read the book, but they’ll be surprised by the way they put it together. I was very moved by it."

Dune: Part Two is currently set for release in November 2023, after its release date was pushed back from October. The movie is being filmed on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, and Italy.

For what’s coming to theaters a bit sooner, check out our guide to 2022 movie release dates.