Dune: Part Two has been officially greenlit by Legendary Pictures. Director Denis Villeneuve is set to return and is scheduled to premiere on October 20, 2023 exclusively in theaters.
Legendary and WB announced the news on social media. In a pair of Tweets, Legendary thanked fans and said it's "excited to continue the journey."
This is only the beginning…
Thank you to those who have experienced @dunemovie so far, and those who are going in the days and weeks ahead. We're excited to continue the journey! pic.twitter.com/mZj68Hnm0A
— Legendary (@Legendary) October 26, 2021
Dune was always set up as a multi-part movie, especially after the full title was revealed to be Dune: Part One. But there were concerns that a high-concept sci-fi movie like Dune might not gain the kind of audience that would justify multiple movies.
But WB and Legendary executives were bullish on Dune and WarnerMedia Ann Sarnoff all but confirmed a sequel when she said, "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."
Dune has shown to have a strong box office showing, taking in $40 million on its opening weekend. A respectible performance, especially for a movie that launched simultaneously on HBO Max.
Based on the sci-fi novel by Frank Herbert, Dune: Part One ends as Paul Atreides and Jessica finally link up with the Fremen. Check out IGN's explainer on what to expect from the now-confirmed Dune Part 2.
IGN's Dune review called Villeneuve's luxurious sci-fi vision an "imperfect epic," that feels incomplete. But perhaps a full viewing of Part 1 and 2 will give Dune greater clarity and context.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.