In my review of Denis Villeneueve’s excellent Dune, I noted that the film was billed as Dune: Part One even though it was not yet guaranteed that there would be a part two:
The true way to experience Dune, as Villeneuve has adapted it, would be to see both parts at once, Lawrence of Arabia–style, as I hope to do one day.
Alas, we must live in the present, unlike those with the spice. And it is no sure thing that there will be a Dune: Part Two. I certainly hope there will be, otherwise what Kyle Smith aptly described as “the longest prologue ever made” will have essentially been for naught. So, even though this Dune will leave you wanting more, do yourself a favor and experience it in the theater. You’ll enjoy it, even as a nonfan (not that I would know what that’s like) . . . and you’ll help ensure that we get to experience Villeneuve fully capture the greatness of Dune.
It’s true that Warner Bros. CEO Ann Sarnoff did say the following just before Dune‘s release:
“Will we have a sequel to Dune? If you watch the movie you see how it ends. I think you pretty much know the answer to that.”
But it has now been confirmed: Dune: Part Two has been greenlit by Warner Bros. and Legendary Studios. Per Deadline:
I[n] what comes as no surprise, the sequel for Dune finally has been greenlighted for a October 20, 2023 theatrical release with director, producer and co-screenwriter Denis Villeneuve returning.
The key word here is theatrical. We understand that a key point of negotiations between Legendary and Warner Bros was that Dune: Part Two would be given a pure theatrical window; no day-and-date HBO Max release plan is in the mix for this cinema spectacle.
The exclusive theatrical-release window is great news, as it will encourage more people to see it in a movie theater, where Villeneuve intended it to be seen, and where I found Dune: Part One so enthralling. And there’s a chance its box office will improve without the home-viewing option, at least at first, and with the added presence of home-viewers who eschewed the theater this time around. So let the countdown to October 20, 2023, begin.
Bless the Maker and His water.