Filmmaker Christopher Nolan has lauded Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, describing it as a “remarkable piece of work” and praising the director for a “miraculous job of adaptation.” In an interview with Deadline, Nolan spoke highly of the sequel, noting its ability to bring a powerful conclusion to the saga.
“Taking the second half and making an incredible conclusion to the story,” Nolan said, further adding, “What a remarkable piece of work.”
He went on to compare Dune: Part Two to Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, calling the latter his favorite film in the Star Wars series. “If, to me, Dune was like Star Wars, then Dune 2 is The Empire Strikes Back. I think it’s just a great expansion of all that was introduced in the first one.”
What particularly impressed Nolan was the film’s immersive quality. “What I was really struck by is the sense of immersion in that world,” he said. “It’s a film that has so many unique images, so many things you’ve never seen before, time after time, and I was so struck by the detail of everything.”
Dune: Part Two, based on the second half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi epic, follows Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides as he joins the Fremen people and seeks to liberate the galaxy from the tyrannical Harkonnen empire, which was responsible for his father’s death. The sequel also features new additions to the cast, including Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux, alongside returning stars Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Stellan Skarsgård.
The first film in the series, Dune: Part One, was a major success, earning ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and winning several Oscars, including Best Original Music, Sound, Film Editing, Cinematography, Production Design, and Visual Effects. It also grossed over $400 million worldwide at the box office.
Looking ahead, Villeneuve has confirmed plans to begin work on the third installment of the Dune franchise, based on Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune Messiah, with production set to begin in late 2025 or 2026.