A war begins in the new trailer for Dune: Part Two

By Blair Marnell June 29, 2023

By splitting Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel Dune into two parts, director Denis Villeneuve delayed the introduction of the story’s primary villain: The Emperor of the Universe, Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken). But in the newly released trailer for Dune: Part Two, viewers finally get their first glimpse at the man who plotted the downfall of House Atreides. House Harkonnen may have struck the blow against their rival house, but Shaddam IV allowed it because he feared that the late Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) would unseat him. But the Emperor has badly miscalculated, because Leto’s son, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), is now poised to make Shaddam IV’s fears into a reality.

Dune: Part Two | Official Trailer 2

But before Paul can start a war and unseat a tyrant, he has to win the trust of his new companions in the Fremen of Arrakis. In the first film, Paul was haunted by visions of the Fremen, and by Chani (Zendaya) in particular. Now that Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), live among them, he has to live up to the Fremen’s belief that he could lead their people to freedom. To do that, Paul is going to have to learn how to ride a giant sandworm.

Timothée Chalamet in Dune: Part Two. — Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures

The trailer also introduces Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan, the daughter of Shaddam IV. But Irulan isn’t the only major player in this unfolding conflict. As seen in the trailer, Paul will also have to face his opposite number from House Harkonnen: Feyd-Rautha (as played by Elvis star Austin Butler).

Josh Brolin also stars in the film as Gurney Halleck, with Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen Mohiam, and Javier Bardem as Stilgar.

In addition to directing the film, Villeneuve co-wrote the script with Jon Spaihts. Warner Bros. and Legendary will release Dune: Part Two on Friday, November 3.

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Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…

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Sometimes, it’s difficult to account for the trajectory of a Hollywood career — to see the logic of a hitmaker’s ascendant path from small to enormous movies. What, for example, did studio executives detect in the quirky indie comedy Safety Not Guaranteed that convinced them, erroneously, that Colin Trevorrow was the right choice to take over the Jurassic Park franchise? Other times, the leap to the majors makes more sense. Just ask anyone who’s been keeping up with the filmography of Denis Villeneuve, who once made French-Canadian art movies but now sits at the helm of the biggest multiplex event of the year so far.

The rumbling bombast of Dune: Part Two did not come out of nowhere. Rather, it represents a steady upscaling of its visionary’s vision — not a left turn so much as the culmination of an approach that’s always leaned large. Watch an earlier Villeneuve movie, like his Oscar-nominated, homegrown war drama Incendies, and you can see telltale signs of an embryonic blockbuster sensibility, a muscular talent waiting to break into a new budget bracket and sprawl across the canvas of an IMAX screen. Dune is merely the fullest realization of what you could call his signature style: heavy with portent, perched on the ledge between action and horror, easy on the eyes, and serious as cancer.

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3 reasons why Dune: Part Two is better than Dune: Part One

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In retrospect, the decision to push back the release of Dune: Part Two has paid off magnificently for Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment. Rather than risking the chance of the actors not being able to promote the film because of the SAG-AFTRA strike, the studios delayed the sequel to March, and it has subsequently doubled the opening weekend numbers of Dune: Part One.

Of course, it helps that Dune: Part Two wasn't released simultaneously on streaming like its predecessor was. But that's not the only cause for Part Two's dramatic increase. Keep reading for the three reasons why Dune: Part Two is better than Dune: Part One, and then race out to theaters to see this sequel on the biggest screen you can.
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Want more awesome sci-fi like Dune 2? Then watch these 3 great sci-fi shows in March

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The first weekend in March saw the release of Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve's epic sci-fi adventure film and the sequel to 2021's Dune. We pick up with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), who have been assimilating into Fremen culture. While contemplating his messianic destiny, Paul seeks revenge against House Harkonnen for killing his father and destroying House Atreides. Only Paul can unite the Fremens and wage war on the Harkonnen. Yet, will he choose to do it?

Dune: Part Two deserves to be seen on the biggest screen to appreciate its greatness. After seeing Dune: Part Two in theaters, come home and watch a TV series to ride the sci-fi wave. Three great sci-fi shows to watch include a peculiar series by Alex Garland, an intergalactic saga based on a famous book, and a recent space-traveling show.
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