Denis Villeneuve‘s Dune finally got the sequel announcement with an official release date. Yet, we were quite surprised that it’s already eyeing an October release in 2023. It made us wonder if they already had most of the pre-production ready as they prepare the sequel. Luckily, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the director confirmed that they already have a script ready and have most of the pre-production done with the work from the initial film.
It’s fantastic news, but it’s also kind of a burden. The good news is that a lot of the work has been done already regarding design, casting, locations and writing. So we’re not starting from scratch. It’s not a long period of time, but I will try to face that challenge because it’s important for me that the audience sees Part Two as soon as possible.
Denis Villeneuve
Villeneuve is very keen on making sure there’s not a long break between the sequels, which makes it quite interesting that it took this long until we got the official announcement for a sequel. Still, he also goes on to highlight how his approach to his sequel also highlights why he can jump into the sequel.
It’s not a sequel where it’s another episode or another story with the same characters. It actually has direct continuity to the first movie. It’s the second part of the big huge movie that I’m trying to do. So the sooner the better.
Denis Villeneuve
The approach makes sense, especially given that both parts are technically part of the same story. Part Two would take place exactly at the point where the first one ended. It’s strange they didn’t use the chance to shoot them back to back, as Warner Bros. already was eyeing to expand this franchise. So, why not keep production costs to a minimum and approach it in one massive shoot. We might never know, but it’s good Villeneuve gets to continue his vision of the series.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
