Themes of destiny and revenge permeate the latest "Dune: Part 2" trailer just offered up by Warner Bros. on Tuesday as director Denis Villeneuve's ("Arrival") next chapter of the "Dune" saga crawls closer to its re-scheduled March 1, 2024 release.
This new look at the second half of Villeneuve's intense adaptation of the seminal Frank Herbert source novel aims to generate more of the developing bond between Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his Fremen love interest, Chani (Zendaya).
When it comes to the couple's mutual attraction, let's hope there's an added injection of organic chemistry revealed this go-around rather than the tepid magnetism displayed in the Academy Award-winning first installment.
Related: Everything we know about Dune: Part 2
Revenge is foremost on Paul's mind here as he plots his retribution against the brutal Harkonnen menace that fractured his family while trying to understand his complex place in the universe and the fulfillment of the Bene Gesserit's prophecy. Squarely placed in his path are imposing obstacles such as the manipulative Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) and Austin Butler's smooth-headed Harkonnen assassin, Feyd-Rautha.
Yes, there are monstrous sandworms bursting up through golden dunes as well!
Returning for another trip to the scorching sands of Arrakis are Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Stellan Skarsgård, joined by newcomers Butler, Walken, Florence Pugh, and Léa Seydoux.
"Dune Part 2" was co-written by Villeneuve with Jon Spaihts, and produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. It's executive produced by Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson as creative consultant.
Fortified with a dream team of creative talent behind the camera, Villeneuve is again joined by Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser, Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette, Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker, Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert, Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West, and Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer for the operatic score.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures' 'Dune: Part 2" lands in theaters and IMAX nationwide on Mar. 1, 2024 and internationally starting on Feb. 28, 2024.
