Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two (2024)

[BAYLOR]

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Dr Manhattan has no need for streaming.

 

[ctg]

Director Denis Villeneuve’s science-fiction sequel has grossed $494.7 million globally, including $208 million in North America and $289.4 million internationally. It should surpass the $500 million mark by Monday, a figure that few films have reached in post-pandemic times. Although it’s early in the year, “Dune 2” is currently the highest-grossing film of 2024 at the domestic and worldwide box office.

After 10 days on the big screen, “Part Two” surpassed the entire domestic tally of the first film ($108 million), although it’s worth noting that the benchmark comes with a major caveat. The original 2021 film was released simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max, so its ticket sales were stifled by the hybrid release on streaming. Now, the follow-up film has outgrossed its predecessor, which generated $433 million at the worldwide box office.

Outside of the U.S. and Canada, “Dune: Part Two” has enjoyed the strongest turnout in China ($36 million), the U.K. ($32.8 million), Germany ($25 million), France ($24.9 million) and Australia ($15.6 million).

‘Dune: Part Two’ Nears $500 Million at Global Box Office, Surpasses Entire Run of First Film

'Dune: Part Two' is barreling toward another box office milestone.

variety.com

So it is almost certain that we'll get the Messiah next.

 

[farntfar]

I went to see this in a cinema where it was classified 4DX.

What it meant was any time there was unusual movement in the action, like something blowing up; a Fremen jumping up and doing a somersault over a Sardaukar, while slicing his head off; someone riding on the back of a sandworm; or probably some fairly normal sex in some other films, then your seat would throw you violently around in more directions than Kirk, Spock et al would often fling themselves in TOS. Any sign of fire or explosion and hot air was blown on the back of your neck, and for all sorts of diverse reasons it would shower you with water droplets, most of which had nothing to do with water. (It is the planet Dune, for heavens sake.)

All this stuff did to me was give me a headache and make me miss the action in battle sequences, worm rides etc, as i tried vainly not to get flung from my seat. And to be honest it added nothing to my war experience, since the experience was exactly the same for all the above actions.

But what I did see of the film was quite impressive.
I found Baron Harkonnen was perhaps better, but not as evil as in the Lynch film. Beast Rabban was definitely better, as was Feyd-Rautha. Jessica was worse. The emperor was just inept as he was in the Lynch film and the book. Gurney and Duncan were virtually non-existant. Paul was both better and worse. Chani was worse. Alia was quite well done.

 

[Judderman]

The few folks who I have spoken to who watched it have loved it.

 

[ctg]

With Part Two kicking ass and taking names at the box office – not to mention an overwhelmingly positive critical reception – there must be a fair amount of pressure on Villeneuve to dive straight into adapting Dune Messiah, the next instalment in the series. Not so fast. “I did both movies back-to-back, which makes absolute sense for me,” he says. “I felt that it was a good idea to move forward right after Part One. We were already designing, writing et cetera. But it also meant that for six years I was on Arrakis non-stop, and I think it will be healthy to step back a little bit. First, make sure that we have a strong screenplay. The thing I want to avoid is not having something ready. I never did it, and now I feel it could be dangerous because of the enthusiasm. We need to make sure all the ideas are on paper.” And then comes a mouthwatering pledge, of sorts. “If we go back, it needs to be real, it needs to be relevant, if ever I do Dune Messiah, [it’s] because it’s going to be better than Part Two. Otherwise, I don’t do it.” Fingers crossed. If you see Villeneuve, use The Voice on him to try to hurry things along a little.

Dune Part Two: Five Things We Learned From Denis Villeneuve

As Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two puts its third weekend of release –...

www.empireonline.com

Is what he says going to be kicking his butt?

 

[farntfar]

The other question is whether it's his type of film. And I leave it to someone else to say, because I don't know enough of his stuff to have an opinion.

All I'm trying to say is that Dune is all about BIG action; Sandworms and battles and atomics and Fremen and Saudardar etc. whereas Dune Messiah is about politics and intrigue and golems and Duncan and Alia and training leopards and stuff if I remember correctly, which may not be the sort of stuff he likes to do.

 

[Swank]

The other question is whether it's his type of film. And I leave it to someone else to say, because I don't know enough of his stuff to have an opinion.

All I'm trying to say is that Dune is all about BIG action; Sandworms and battles and atomics and Fremen and Saudardar etc. whereas Dune Messiah is about politics and intrigue and golems and Duncan and Alia and training leopards and stuff if I remember correctly, which may not be the sort of stuff he likes to do.

The Arrival is more like the latter.

 

[Chris von shannow]

Fantastic movie

 

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Sometimes, dreams do come true. That’s as true for Paul Atreides as it is for Denis Villeneuve, who now gets to make his third Dune movie. Legendary confirmed on Thursday that they are currently developing a third movie in the sci-fi franchise based on Frank Herbert's original novels and are also in talks with Villeneuve to adapt Annie Jacobsen’s nonfiction book Nuclear War: A Scenario after that.

Villeneuve first told EW in 2021 that his goal all along was to make three Dune movies. Dune: Part Two completed the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s original 1965 sci-fi novel, but Herbert wrote five sequels before his death in 1986 (his son Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson have since added to the franchise with many additional books). The first of Herbert's sequels, 1969’s Dune Messiah, is what Villeneuve wants to adapt for his third movie in this series.

"I always envisioned three movies," Villeneuve told EW then. "It's not that I want to do a franchise, but this is Dune, and Dune is a huge story. In order to honor it, I think you would need at least three movies. That would be the dream. To follow Paul Atreides and his full arc would be nice."

Denis Villeneuve's third 'Dune' movie is officially happening

Legendary confirmed that they are developing a third 'Dune' movie with Denis Villeneuve, fulfilling the director's dream of adapting Frank Herbert's novel 'Dune Messiah.'

ew.com

 

[Rodders]

I saw this last night and thought it was absolutely brilliant. Quite the antidote to much of the nonsense movies that have graced the silver screen in recent years. A personal opinion, but perhaps this could be a perfect movie...

The cinematography was stunning, with the stark beauty of the desert presented often and it was never boring, or dull. The acting was good, as was the action scenes and fight sequences. Hans Zimmer's soundtrack was awesome and it was nice to hear Lisa Gerard's voice again. (I also noted that Klaus Schultz was credited in part one. I liked that, a lot.) The costume design was lavish.

I think i read that Villeneuve has been green lit for Dune Messiah. I can't wait. I may have it wrong, but wasn't Messaih the third book in the trilogy?

I hope for a directors cut and i can see it again at the cinema before it goes.

 

[ctg]

I may have it wrong, but wasn't Messaih the third book in the trilogy?

I remembered it that way as well, but the truth is, it's second.

Dune Messiah is a 1969 science fiction novel by American writer Frank Herbert, the second in his Dune series of six novels. A sequel to Dune (1965), it was originally serialized in Galaxy magazine in 1969, and then published by Putnam the same year. Dune Messiah and its own sequel Children of Dune (1976) were collectively adapted by the Sci-Fi Channel in 2003 into a miniseries entitled Frank Herbert's Children of Dune.

Dune Messiah - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[ctg]

I finally watched the Part II and man, I have say it's good. Even if it skipped a couple of bits, like Paul going to desert to meet the really big worm. Although I'm not certain if that scene is in the Messiah, but the way this was cut together there's only one way forward and that's bringing the Messiah bit next.

The thing that bothered me was the visions and time Paul spend with Chani doing various things. She was with him most of the way, but I'm not certain that their romance was brought in proper light as a lot of time were given to the fights and Paul being a very angry man, instead of a Messiah. The way I remember Chani was that she was a believer at the end, but she was crossed about Paul taking a second wife (because she was already carrying the babies.)

Then there are the visions, which I most certainly remember playing a huge role in the Messiah, while in the original Dune they weren't so prominent as the narrative played with him becoming a Fremen and earning his name Muad'dib. That part Villeneuve did particularly well, but for the watcher who hasn't read the books, him being the mystical figure were left hanging on Stilgar's beliefs and a few reactions on when he takes the role. Dune itself goes way deeper into that narrative and light the part in bits that are hazy, but still true to the plot. The reader, therefore, as always is given much richer view in the play than the watcher.

It's just this wasn't a bad movie, although I truly believe that the whole trilogy is going to be a great one. Not just these first two. The funny thing was that the ending reminded me more about Dune's legacy in spawning the BattleTech universe than being a vision for George Lucas to create Star Wars. The biggest disappointment was in the lack of AstroPaths.

 

[Swank]

I finally watched the Part II and man, I have say it's good. Even if it skipped a couple of bits, like Paul going to desert to meet the really big worm. Although I'm not certain if that scene is in the Messiah, but the way this was cut together there's only one way forward and that's bringing the Messiah bit next.

The thing that bothered me was the visions and time Paul spend with Chani doing various things. She was with him most of the way, but I'm not certain that their romance was brought in proper light as a lot of time were given to the fights and Paul being a very angry man, instead of a Messiah. The way I remember Chani was that she was a believer at the end, but she was crossed about Paul taking a second wife (because she was already carrying the babies.)

Then there are the visions, which I most certainly remember playing a huge role in the Messiah, while in the original Dune they weren't so prominent as the narrative played with him becoming a Fremen and earning his name Muad'dib. That part Villeneuve did particularly well, but for the watcher who hasn't read the books, him being the mystical figure were left hanging on Stilgar's beliefs and a few reactions on when he takes the role. Dune itself goes way deeper into that narrative and light the part in bits that are hazy, but still true to the plot. The reader, therefore, as always is given much richer view in the play than the watcher.

It's just this wasn't a bad movie, although I truly believe that the whole trilogy is going to be a great one. Not just these first two. The funny thing was that the ending reminded me more about Dune's legacy in spawning the BattleTech universe than being a vision for George Lucas to create Star Wars. The biggest disappointment was in the lack of AstroPaths.

I don't think you are remembering the books all that accurately. Paul's first worm is big and is in the first book, for instance.

Also, what do you mean by Battletech? That was the game stolen from Macross designs, and AstroPaths are from Warhammer. Did you mean Guild Navigators? They don't appear in the first book.

 

[ctg]

I don't think you are remembering the books all that accurately. Paul's first worm is big and is in the first book, for instance.

Also, what do you mean by Battletech? That was the game stolen from Macross designs, and AstroPaths are from Warhammer. Did you mean Guild Navigators? They don't appear in the first book.

I don't mean his capture worm, but more about his trek into the desert as an approval ritual and seeing visions that include worms. I might be remembering a story later in the line.

Battletech has a short of similar expansion history to Dune and the core of it is set in Imperial theme with Noble Houses that act as the Inner Circle.

The guild navigators are part of Imperial retinue. A permanent part.

 

[Swank]

The guild navigators are part of Imperial retinue. A permanent part.

The first guild navigator isn't revealed until Dune Messiah with Edric, but guild representatives are shown in the imperial court and other times in Dune.

 

[Baldanders]

I liked more or less the first Villeneuve's Dune, but the second is terrible. They changed a lot, compared to the book, but for what?

Battle scenes are really illogical, they exist only to show some creative action, which is in fact so-so by today's standards.

Characters are caricature and flat, their motivation is completely broken.

Jessica was kinda weak and scared in the 1st movie. Now she's a cold manipulator (who only repeats the prophecy, which is very silly). Stilgar was a wise leader in the book, but now he's a beggar at whom people laugh. Shaddam is tasteless and there is not a single piece of majesty in him. Chani... this teenage rebellion bullsh** doesn't fit the original character at all (but fits Zendaya). Paul... Ah... First half he doesn't want to listen to Jessica, doesn't want to lead Fremen and it's unclear what he even forgot among them, but then he suddenly becomes a brutal messiah, and everyone follows him... because he knows about one Fremen's grandma? Really? Fremen Reverend mothers have inhuman intelligence, but one Paul's tale about a dead nan, and all Fremen are ready to die for him??? Where is the long way of gaining their trust, teaching them to fight outsiders and inspiration of victories, which grows into an unstoppable jihad?

From both movies, Leto Atreides is the only one, who has nobility traits in behavior and looks. Lea Seydoux (Lady Fenring) looks noble too, but let's be honest, it's only because of her face, not acting skills or style. Baron, Shaddam, Irulan, Paul and Jessica are just ordinary people in the movie. Seriously, Paul even allows teenagers to laugh at him (which happens after he killed Jamis - a guy twice bigger - for challenging Jessica). Just remember how in the book Paul subjugated elites of Dune during the first feast Atreides gave on the planet. That's a guy of bold temper, noble, proud, able to command respect. What is this floor rag in the movie? No-no-no, that is not okay!

And the movie doesn't have ideas. It's just some action with boring intrigues. Fremen culture, their ice-cold-blooded relentless rationalism, uncontrollable religious inspiration, strength of intelligence and its dark sides - all gone. A couple of scenes is supposed to hint on that (and if you didn't read the book, you'll not get it), and that's all. Instead we have a lot of Feyd-Rhautha's sado-maso, which goes nowhere, because he f***ing dies.

The movie seems to be an attempt to modernize Dune for mass audience - simple people, who're not interested in Herbert's philosophical ideas, who will not understand what elites are and how they influence human society, who will not embrace Bene Gesserit's genetic plan of creating an ultimate intelligence of a leader to save humanity from self-destruction, etc., etc., etc.

Whatever they film next in this series, guys, I'm gonna skip. Too simple, too boring.

 

[Judderman]

I think that is the first negative review I have seen.

 

[Baldanders]

I think that is the first negative review I have seen.

Well, I spent months reading and re-reading Dune, understanding it, and wrote 6 articles (can find'em on Booksie by my nickname). So, consider me sorta dunologist.

Movie is a bad idea from the start. Dune is not for mass audience - it requires particular interests and at least some education in philosophy, politics, cybernetics. And if you want to make a movie, but without the original ideas... then what's the point? Money. And that's what it is - attraction with fresh kinky stuff to entertain professional consumers. As many of them as possible, as it makes cash.

Brutality of the ruling class, arrogance and nobility, undisguised religious manipulations, trick-inside-trick-inside-trick intrigues of clans fighting for power, statements against law and government - everything is wiped off and turned into polit-correct fairytale. Herbert would not know to laugh or to cry, because what corporations are doing to Dune is exactly what he meant, when he wrote about aristocracy, its greed and manipulations.

 

[ctg]

I think that is the first negative review I have seen.

You should check IMDB ratings if you want to see negatives.

 

[ctg]

For most casual fans and hardcore spice addicts alike, Dune: Part Two is a triumph. Not only did Denis Villeneuve get to complete his visionary adaptation of the first Frank Herbert Dune novel (phew!) but he was also able to infuse his cinematic trip to Arrakis with modern sensibilities. For longtime fans, Dune: Part Two is not the most faithful filmed version of the first book, but it’s much closer to the text than the 1984 version and feels bigger and grander than the (more faithful) 2000 miniseries version. To put it simply, Dune: Part Two, combined with Part One, is (probably) the best-filmed version of Dune we’re likely to ever get. Fidelity to a book is never entirely possible with adaptations, nor is it necessarily desirable. As Villeneuve told Den of Geek back in 2021: “When you adapt it’s an act of vandalism. You will change things.”

Yes, Villeneuve makes some pretty huge changes to Herbert’s original story, but none as huge as how he handles Paul Atreides’ destiny. Let’s look at the one alteration from the novel that is probably more important than all the other changes combined.

The Biggest Dune 2 Book Change Redefines Paul’s Entire Journey

In Dune: Part Two, Paul must head south. But why?

www.denofgeek.com