ADunesequel will have a change of perspective, with director Denis Villeneuve revealing that Zendaya’s character, Chani, will become the movie’s lead. The first chapter in the filmmaker’s retelling ofDunewill feature Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides as the protagonist, much like the source novels, with the director now revealing that this will change comeDune 2.
“I can’t wait to shoot the second part of Dune to get [Timothée Chalamet andZendaya] back together. Knowing that in the next chapter Zendaya will be the protagonist of the story.”
A character integral to both Frank Herbert’s novels Dune and Dune Messiah, Chani begins the story as a Fremen warrior before becoming the wife and legal concubine of Paul Atreides. The daughter of Imperial Planetologist Liet-Kynes and his Fremen wife Faroula, Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming adaptation has already made some changes to the character, gender-swapping the role of Dr. Liet-Kynes, who will be portrayed in the movie by Sharon Duncan-Brewster. So, it seems that Chani will undergo further adjustments in the leap from page to live action, as the character becomes the stories lead following the events of the firstDune.
Depending on how closely Villeneuve follows the novel, (Dunewill cover “pretty much the first half,” according to writer Eric Roth), the firstDuneis likely to end will Paul’s escape onto the desert, where he is taken in by the Arrakis natives, the Fremens, eventually becoming their leader and Messiah. Shifting the focus from Paul to Chani is certainly an interesting way to approach the sequel, but the idea is sure to irk some fans of the novel, who will no doubt be concerned that Villeneuve is making too many changes to Frank Herbert’s seminal works.
The firstDunewill hurl audiences into the far future of humanity, as Duke Leto Atreides accepts stewardship of the dangerous desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune, the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe, “melange” (also called “spice”), a drug that extends human life, provides superhuman levels of thought, and makes faster-than-light travel practical. Though Leto knows the opportunity is an intricate trap set by his enemies, he takes his Bene Gesserit concubine Lady Jessica, young son and heir Paul, and most trusted advisors to Arrakis. Leto takes control of the spice mining operation, which is made perilous by the presence of giant sandworms. A bitter betrayal leads Paul and Jessica to the Fremen, natives of Arrakis who live in the deep desert.
The movie features a stellar ensemble cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
Following several delays amid the ongoing global situation,Duneis now scheduled to have its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on June 09, 2025. The movie be released theatrically in the United States on August 25, 2025 by Warner Bros. Pictures with a simultaneous release on the HBO Max streaming service for 31 days. This comes to us fromIl Venerdì di Repubblica.
