SPOILER WARNING: The following contains potential spoilers for Dune: Part 2 from the novel. If you haven’t read the book, proceed at your own risk!
Two years ago, director Denis Villeneuve successfully blew our minds with his adaptation of the first half of Frank Herbert’s beloved sci-fi epic Dune, and we are now more than ready for our brains to explode again with the arrival of Dune: Part 2. The first movie set the table for the universe – introducing key characters, locations, relationships, and cultures – and the sequel will see all of the complex and emotional conflicts come to a head. As legions of sci-fi fans already know, the source material is brilliant, and there are many key moments from the second half of the book that we are particularly excited to see in the upcoming blockbuster.
It’s in the aim of highlighting these particular scenes and sequences from the book that we’ve put together this special preview feature for Dune: Part 2. Trailers for the film have revealed glimpses at some of these moments from the movie, but we’re excited to see all of them in their full glory on the big screen this fall.
Paul First Rides The Sandworm
Bits of this moment have already been featured in the trailers for Dune: Part 2, but it should be an experience unto itself when the scene plays on the big screen in the full film. As Paul becomes acclimated to Fremen culture, one of the most spectacular things he must accomplish is riding one of Arrakis’ legendary sandworms. The first movie demonstrated how these creatures can be terrifying, but the sequel will have the opportunity to show them in a new light as we understand their symbiotic existence with the Fremen, and seeing Paul attract one with a thumper before swinging a pair of hooks in should be dazzling.
The Reunion Of Paul And Gurney Halleck
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune does not make Gurney Halleck’s fate clear. His final scene in the film has him witnessing massive explosions as he leads soldiers into battle against the Sardaukar, and the blockbuster leaves his survival ambiguous. Of course, those who have read the book know that he lives and is brought back into the Atreides fold when Paul finds him operating as a smuggler – a moment that will be exciting to see in Dune: Part 2. Not only will it be great to see Paul and Gurney back again, but there is also extra conflict that is added from Gurney’s return because he believes that it was Lady Jessica who betrayed Duke Leto.
Lady Jessica Drinks The Water Of Life And Transforms
Thanks to her years of Bene Gesserit training, Lady Jessica is already quite powerful when we meet her in Dune, but she’ll be getting a fascinating upgrade in Dune: Part 2. While living among the Fremen with Paul, she drinks the traditionally poisonous Water of Life to become a Reverend Mother. Not only is this an exciting change for the character to undergo, but it’s hard to imagine that Denis Villeneuve’s visual presentation of the moment in his blockbuster will be anything less than phenomenal, as the process unlocks her genetic memory and connection with the history of the Bene Gesserit. And there is also that unexpected side effect…
Alia’s Special Gifts
As much as we’ve heard about Dune: Part 2 and seen from the film, one aspect remains a complete mystery: Alia Atreides, the daughter of Duke Leto and Lady Jessica, and the sister of Paul. Nothing has been revealed about the character to date, but there is every expectation that the sequel will remain faithful to the source material and include her. Because Lady Jessica is pregnant with Alia when she consumes the Water Of Life, she is born with full Bene Gesserit powers, and by the age of two is demonstrating behavior and knowledge well beyond her years. The character was significantly changed in David Lynch’s Dune 1984, where she is played by a 10-year-old Alicia Witt, and there is great curiosity about how the 2023 movie will approach the vital part.
Feyd-Rautha Shows Off In A Gladiator Battle
In the making of Dune, Denis Villeneuve opted to hold off on the introduction of Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, deciding it would be best to only have the character in Dune: Part 2, and there is tremendous anticipation to see the villain in action. It seems likely that his very first scene will be his “rigged” gladiator battle from the book, and it should be an eye-opening way for the adaptation to get across his vile ferociousness. Trailers have already confirmed that this sequence is in the film, and we can’t wait to see it in its full glory.
Alia vs. Baron Harkonnen
Part of the reason why it’s impossible to believe that Dune: Part 2 wouldn’t include Alia Atreides as part of the blockbuster is because of the key role that she has in the drama that leads up to the final conflict. Toward the end of Frank Herbert’s novel, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV believe that they have made the move that will bring the prophet leader of the Fremen to his knees when they capture and kidnap Alia… but she proves to be far more trouble than they bargained for. Her showdown with Baron Harkonnen is a must for the adaptation.
The Atreides Retake Arrakeen
In Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, House Atreides suffers tremendous losses. After the clan makes a home on Arrakis and plans a bright future for the planet, the nefarious partnership between the Emperor and Baron Harkonnen leaves them shattered – with many killed, some taken hostage, and others stranded in the desert. The Atreides lost just about everything when the homestead in the Arrakis city of Arrakeen was attacked, but Dune: Part 2 will see Paul reclaim his place as a wholly changed man in the sequel, and it should make for powerful material.
Paul vs. Feyd-Rautha
We fully expect Dune: Part 2 to feature multiple intense, large scale battle sequences, but where action is concerned, it’s particularly the more intimate fights that inspire curiosity. Part of the reason why the aforementioned gladiator sequence is so important is because of how it previews Feyd-Rautha’s nature as a warrior in advance of his big showdown with Paul in the third act – and it should be a sight to see. The previous movie also ended in a dual, with Paul defeating Jamis and becoming accepted among Sietch Tabr, but the sequel should conclude with very different energy.
Paul And Princess Irulan
Chani is quite literally the girl of Paul’s dreams in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, and fans will get to see their love flourish in Dune: Part 2, as Paul is accepted among the Fremen and they have a son, Leto II, together. Fans love the pairing of Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya on the big screen… and with all of that setup, jaws are going to drop at the end of the film when Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan enters the picture along with the negotiation of surrender between Paul and the Emperor.
We’re keeping fingers crossed that the majority of these moments, if not all of them, are featured in the sequel adaptation – and all we can do at this point is count down the days until the film hits theaters. Dune: Part 2’s release date is set for November 3, and you can prepare for its arrival with our Dune Ending Explained guide and our Dune: Part 2 Updated Cast List.
