Having become the second highest-grossing HBO Max hybrid release of the year behind only Godzilla vs. Kong, Denis Villenueve must have breathed a huge sigh of relief when Dune: Part Two was officially announced just days after the opening chapter came to theaters and streaming.
The latest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel pulled in a solid $394 million from theaters, while rave reviews from critics and audiences alike ensured there’s definitely an overwhelming demand to see the story brought to a suitably spectacular close.
Production is scheduled to kick off next summer in order to meet an October 2023 release date, and in an interview with Collider, editor Joe Walker teased that a fan favorite character could be set to rise from the grave and show face in Dune: Part Two.
“What’s really interesting about Frank Herbert’s book is that some characters do come back but not necessarily in the same form that they took originally. Those who know the book know that Duncan Idaho, for example, reappears, so it’s not over until the last lady sings.”
In all honestly, we’d be thrilled if Momoa were to return for Dune: Part Two. His Duncan Idaho was a highlight of the movie, offering a sense of levity, charm and charisma that was sorely lacking at many other points in the narrative. It’s all a question of how closely Villenueve wants to hew to the source material, though, but it’s definitely something people would be fully on board with.