Dune: Part 2 is “more muscular…more of an action film” than Part 1

As far as sweeping sci-fi epics go, Dune is pretty cerebral. Yes, it’s about space-faring noble families warring for supremacy, but there’s a lot of talk about prescience and destiny and responsibilty and stuff like that. The fourth book in Frank Herbert’s series, God Emperor of Dune, is basically a series of philosophical monologues delivered by a giant worm king. Man, what I wouldn’t give to see that book adapted as a movie…

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dune adapted the first half of Herbert’s original 1965 book. The upcoming sequel will complete the story. According to Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two will have a bit more blood pumping through its veins.

“The first movie was more meditative and contemplative,” Villeneuve told Total Film magazine. “We were following a young man discovering a new planet, a new culture. The second movie…it’s more of an action film than the first part. It’s more muscular.”

The first movie did have a lot of set-up to get through. We had to meet the members of the noble House Atreides, the vile members of House Harkonnen, the desert-dwelling Fremen people, etc. The action doesn’t really ramp up until near the end, when Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) makes his move against his long-time rival Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), killing him and leaving his wife Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and son Paul (Timothée Chalamet) for dead.

But of course Paul and Jessica don’t die; they go undercover to live with the Fremen people, and in Part Two, they will have their revenge! Action is coming.

That said, I still expect Dune: Part Two to be among the slower, brainier blockbusters you’ll see next year. And if Villeneuve gets his wish to adapt Frank Herbert’s 1969 book Dune Messiah, resulting in a Dune movie trilogy, expect a return to the slow groove of the first movie. Messiah is less about houses battling for control of the planet Arrakis and more about Paul being hollowed out emotionally by the agony of leadership. Chalamet’s coming for that Best Actor Oscar…

Dune Part Two is due out in theaters on March 1, 2024.

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