(CNN Spanish) – After the first film in 2021 and delays in the arrival of the second part due to strikes in Hollywood, the science fiction epic “Dune 2” premieres on the big screen this week.
“Dune: Part Two,” from Warner Bros. (which, like CNN, is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery), hits U.S. theaters March 1 and Latin American theaters February 29.
While some of the criticism focused on Dune 2's slow progress due to the political entanglements of its plot, it also highlighted how “dazzling and overwhelming” it is visually.
The visual part in particular is one of the reasons why “Dune” was a huge success and earned it six Oscars, including for best photography and best visual effects.
Featuring a star-studded cast including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh and Rebecca Ferguson, Dune 2 proves to be the last ray of hope in Hollywood's often frustrating crusade to get people back theaters back,” writes CNN’s Brian Lowry in his review of the film.
CNN en Español also had the opportunity to see the Denis Villeneuve-directed film at the fan event on February 6 in Mexico City, where the promotional tour for Dune 2 began around the world. If you are curious about what you will find in the new episode, we leave you 10 facts about “Dune 2” below.
(Left to right) Canadian filmmaker and author Denis Villeneuve; British actress Florence Pugh; American actress and singer Zendaya Maree Stoermer; French-American actor Timothée Chalamet; American actor Josh Brolin; and American actor Austin Butler pose for a photo during the red carpet of the film “Dune: Part Two” in Mexico City on February 6, 2024. (Credit: ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images)
( WARNING: You will read some spoilers, so proceed with caution, as Paul Atreides does in the sands of Arrakis.
What can you expect from Dune: Part Two?
First of all, you can expect an even longer epic than the first film: “Dune 2” lasts 166 minutes, compared to “Dune 1” it is 155 minutes.The first hour of Dune 2 delves into the complexities of Imperial politics, Fremen customs and wars.Given the greater importance given to the Fremen in the second part, you'll notice that Zendaya's role as Chani is much more prominent than that of the 2021 film.You'll see Paul Atreides training with the Fremen and riding a giant worm (the largest ever, according to the film).After his training, Paul Atreides becomes part of the Fremen and, in fact, the Mahdi, the warrior messiah who, according to prophecy, will save this people.Rabban Harkonnen (Dave Bautista) is stripped of his title as ruler of Arrakis after failing to comply with the demands of his uncle, Baron Harkonnen, who passes the position to his other nephew and Rabban's brother, Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler).This isn't the only familial entanglement you'll see in Dune 2. At some point we learn that Baron Harkonnen is Paul Atreides' grandfather (which ended up getting a look of surprise in the room). This means that Paul's mother, Reverend Mother Jessica Atreides (Rebecca Ferguson), is the Baron's daughter.The problems between the families continue and Léa Seydoux (Florence Pugh), the daughter of the Emperor (Christopher Walken), will eventually become involved with Feyd-Rautha in order to decipher his actions and way of thinking. Anyway, she gets pregnant with Harkonnen.Speaking of pregnancy: We already knew that Jessica Atreides is expecting a daughter. In a very brief passage (just a few seconds long), actress Anya Taylor-Joy makes a cameo and lets us know that she will be playing the Reverend Mother's daughter in an upcoming installment of the franchise.After all, no one should miss the duel to the death between the Mahdi and Feyd-Rautha. To this last point, we can only add one more thing: you will hear Chani's heartbreak.Bonus: We can't leave without first mentioning that composer Hans Zimmer has once again managed to create a sonorous and enveloping atmosphere that really transports you to Arrakis and the Fremen village. It wouldn't be surprising if the film won the Oscar for Best Sound Editing or Best Soundtrack again.