At long last, the wait is over, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two has crashed into cinemas like a mighty Shai-hulud into a spice-rich vein of sand, or something. Look, we’re just happy the first film made enough money to justify the narratively crucial follow-up.
How to watch Dune: Part Two in New Zealand
Dune: Part Two is now playing in New Zealand cinemas.
Dune: Part Two
What is Dune: Part Two about?
Following on from the events of Dune (and both, of course, adapted from the doorstopper science fiction novel by the late frank Herbert), Dune: Part Two sees deposed young lord Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) lead the Fremen nomads of Arrakis in revolt against the evil House Harkonnen. There’s more to it than that, mostly involving giant sandworms, but you are gonna want to have seen the previous film before tackling this one, and a scan of the book wouldn’t go astray, either. This is big, complex, political space opera.
The cast of Dune: Part Two
In addition to Chalamet, Zandaya is his love interest, the Fremen warrior Chani; Javier Bardem is Fremen leader Stilgar; Rebecca Ferguson is his mother, the Lady Jessica, who installs herself as a religious leader among the desert-dwelling Fremen for reasons both mystical and political; and Josh Brolin as loyal soldier Gurney Halleck. The villainous Harkonnens include Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir; Dave Bautista as Count Glossu Rabban; and newcomer and former Elvis Austin Butler as the sadistic Feyd-Rautha.
Plus, the legendary Christopher Walken is in an Emperor Shaddam IV, Florence Pugh is his daughter, the Princess Irulan; Léa Seydoux plays Lady Margot Fenring; and Tim Blake Nelson and Anya Taylor-Joy play as yet undisclosed roles (though Joy’s isn’t too hard to nut out).
Dune: Part Two trailer
Here, have a whole extended sneak preview.
Why we’re excited about Dune: Part Two
Well, the first one kicked ass, Denis Villeneuve’s one of the best directors currently working, and it looks fantastic. Why wouldn’t we be?
