Timothée Chalamet has assumed his rightful place as Muad’Dib, prophet of the Fremen in the first trailer for “Dune: Part Two.”
“In the first movie Paul Atreides is a student…we really see Paul Atreides become a leader here,” Chalamet said at CinemaCon on Tuesday, teasing a first look at the sci-fi epic.
And with that newfound power comes the thrill of riding the massive sandworms that populate the remote planet where “Dune” takes place (something brought stunningly to life in the new footage).
When we last checked in with Paul Atreides, he and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), had fled into the desert of Arrakis, having been betrayed by BaronVladimir Harkonnen. After being taken in by the Fremen, the native inhabitants of the planet, Paul is now fully a part of the resistance. In a sign of how much has changed, Paul’s eyes are now icy blue, just as the rest of the Fremen’s are (excessive consumption of spice, a psychotropic drug that imparts heightened awareness, is the cause of the dramatically colored peepers). As fans of the book by Frank Herbert know, Paul is blessed/cursed with visions of the future, giving him great power.
Those aren’t the only changes, Zendaya’s character Chani, a peripheral figure in the first movie, is now ready for war and assuming a much more important role. And Ferguson has left her royal ways behind her, looking grittier while covered with face tattoos. Zendaya says the film will explore the burgeoning relationship between Paul and Chani. “These are still just two young people who are trying to grow up and fall in love and live,” she told the audience at CinemaCon.
Denis Villeneuve returns to direct “Dune: Part Two,” which brings back Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista and Javier Bardem and introduces new characters played by Austin Butler (wearing chalky makeup) and a royal-looking Florence Pugh. Villeneuve shot the entire film with IMAX cameras. He also said he built new sets in order “to avoid repetition.”
“We went to all new locations…everything is new in the film,” Villeneuve promised.
“Dune: Part Two,” which is produced by Legendary and Warner Bros., is set to be released on November 3, 2023. Warner Bros. showed the footage during its presentation to theater owners. It also shared footage and trailers from “Barbie,” “The Flash” and sequels to “Aquaman” and “The Nun.”
