Dune Part 2 release date, strike delay, and everything we know

Updated Nov. 17, 2023 – Fans of the six-time Academy Award winning film, Dune, will be happy to know that production on its follow-up has officially wrapped! We have a release date for Dune: Part Two, which will be coming to the big screens next year.

The second film is once again directed by Denis Villeneuve from the screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts. The Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Entertainment productions are adaptations of the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert of the same name.

The first movie, which came out in 2021, introduced us to Paul Atreides. He is a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny. He has to travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. Conflict ensues as everyone wants to get their hands on the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence. Only those who can conquer their own fear will survive.

Now, the story of the epic science fiction will continue with Dune Part 2. Filming began in July 2022 in Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Budapest, and Italy. Here’s everything we know about the film ahead of its release!

Dune Part 2 release date: Why did it get delayed?

Dune Part 2 will be released Friday, March 1, 2024, making a theatrical debut worldwide, per The Hollywood Reporter. This is the third time the date changes. It’s two weeks earlier than the previously announced March 15, 2024 date. Originally, the Warner Bros. Pictures movie was supposed to come out on Nov. 3, 2023.

The upcoming production sees actor Timothée Chalamet once again taking on the role of leading man, Paul Atreides. Check out what’s ahead for our brave, young hero:

"This follow-up film will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee."

Why is Dune Part 2 delayed?

Due to the actors strike, which does not allow its members to promote their work, the company decided to delay the premiere to 2024, per Entertainment Weekly. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), who represents the big studios, have reached an agreement and writers are back to work following the writers strike.

Now as of Nov. 9, 2023, SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP have been able to come to a tentative agreement. That means actors can get back to work on filming and promoting their work, even though members still need to vote to approve the proposed three-year contract.

With both Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet not being able to do a press tour for the project during the actors strike, which means they couldn’t promote it, it’s no surprise the move has happened. Though, this is a disappointing update for fans who were excited to see the film in just a few months. So even though the release date had to be delayed, thankfully now the actors strike is over and things can get back to the way they were!

While we wait and if you’re eager to watch the first film for the first time, or you’re ready for a rewatch, you can check it out on Max and Netflix!

Cast: Who’s returning and new?

Many of the talented cast members who starred in the first film will be coming back with a whole host of new actors joining them as well! We shared the full cast list below:

Returning cast members:

Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
Zendaya as Chani
Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
Javier Bardem as Stilgar
Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck
Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
Dave Bautista as Beast Rabban Harkonnen
Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam
Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat

New cast members:

Austin Butler as the notorious Feyd Rautha
Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV
Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s daughter
Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot, a close friend of the Emperor
Souheila Yacoub as Shishakli, a Fremen warrior

Check out the cast in the first-look images below!

Warner Bros. Pictures film Dune Part 2 in theaters Nov. 3, 2023.

Warner Bros. Pictures film Dune Part 2 in theaters Nov. 3, 2023. /

Warner Bros. Pictures film Dune Part 2 in theaters Nov. 3, 2023.

Dune books: How to read them in order

As mentioned above, the Dune movies are based on the books by author Frank Herbert. Overall, there’s actually 25 stories. But when it comes to the main and original novel series, there’s six you’ll want to check out. We listed them below:

Dune
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
Heretics of Dune
Chapterhouse: Dune

Following the death of Frank in 1996, his son Brian Herbert partnered up with sci-fi author Kevin J. Anderson to continue to expand his father’s universe. And that’s where the rest of the books in the series of novels come from. Here’s a list of how to read all the novels in order, according to the publisher website. One of the books written by the co-authors is Sisterhood of Dune. An adaptation of the novel, Dune: The Sisterhood, is in the works and coming to HBO at some point.

In terms of more films in the franchise’s future, that’s going to be up to director Denis Villeneuve. The first Dune movie was an adaptation of the first half of the first Dune book, with Part 2 adapting the second half. The director has previously shared that he sees the universe as a trilogy onscreen. He’s thinking of potentially bringing the second book, Dune Messiah, to screen as the final Dune film. However, things can always change. This is not set in stone just yet.

Stay tuned to Hidden Remote as we bring you all the updates and news about Dune Part 2 as they come!

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