MOVIE NEWS – It looked like Dune: Part Two might be in trouble, but a new update is good news for fans of the film adaptation of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic.

After the first instalment of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic, there were rumours of a delay for the franchise’s prequel Dune: Part Two. But now an update could give fans hope. Director Villeneuve’s 2021 film adaptation starring Timothée Chalamet follows the first half of Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking novel. He has built a stunning world of alien landscapes and shadowy political intrigue. However, Warner Bros was “strongly considering” delaying the sequel from a November release to next year, and the long wait before the story’s reboot could have hurt the franchise.

News of the delays came amid reports of writer and actor strikes in Hollywood, which have cast doubt over the film’s schedule.

Fortunately, however, things seem to be going according to plan for Dune: Part Two. Richard Gelfond, CEO of IMAX, has said that the film is unlikely to be delayed. He argued that it was already “out of the gate”. “From a dollars-and-cents perspective, it just doesn’t make sense to me that it would be delayed,” Gelfond said at IMAX’s Q2 earnings call, according to The Motley Fool. Aside from being practical from a cost perspective, keeping the sequel on track could be vital to the franchise, which could mean the difference between success and failure.

The Dune: Part Two must avoid delays to keep the positive mood alive

In Villeneuve’s adaptation, teenage protagonist Paul Atreides hides in the desert and must survive in the harshest conditions. The film’s ending sets the stage perfectly for the second part (which still follows Herbert’s first novel).) Paul already lives among the Fremen in the desert, and Chani (Zendaya) tells him, “this is only the beginning”.

However, a long break between films, especially if the first one ends halfway through the book and the plot is left unresolved, can sap momentum and audience enthusiasm.

Adapting Dűne novels is in itself fraught with difficulties and risks. Books set in a future in which humanity has considerably changed are notoriously tricky. The plot is developed through prophetic dreams and inner conversations with the ancestors. Moreover, parts of Frank Herbert’s Dűne book are highly abstract. It is, therefore, not surprising that the television versions have had difficulty. And David Lynch’s 1984 film version was condemned by some critics. All this said, Villeneuve’s 2021 version was a significant success. But it means that there is a lot at stake. As the plot of the second instalment is likely to be dense and complex, it is vital for its success that the first film remains fresh in viewers’ minds.

Source: The Motley Fool