The director of Dune 2, Denis Villeneuve, reassured fans by revealing that it is not necessary to have (re)watched the first part of the adaptation to understand its sequel.
Dune: Part Two, the direct sequel to 2021’s Dune and conclusion to the adaptation of the first novel in the saga by Frank Herbert, has caused a worldwide sensation since its release.
Between a rave review and a box office that is off to a flying start, this second part seems to have convinced the public. Paul Atréides’ fight had already united spectators in 2021, and the adventure alongside Chani had long been teased as being even more epic.
Faced with all this enthusiasm, some might feel overwhelmed. Because generally, to see a sequel, it is better to have already benefited from the introduction to the universe concerned in its first opus. To which the director has his own answer: according to him, you don’t need to have seen Dune to see Dune 2!
According to the director of Dune, you can watch the second part before the first
In an interview with Moviefone before the American release of Dune: Part II, Denis Villeneuve explained that anyone could start with the second part without being lost in the plot.
“For me, it was important that the film stood on its own, so that viewers who hadn’t seen Dune could still enjoy Part Two. So we left enough clues at the beginning of the story to make it self-sufficient.”
The director explained that he wanted to divide the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel into two parts to be able to focus on the different cultures of the lore of Dune, in particular that of the Fremen: “I wanted to have the necessary time to explore the culture [Fremen ], see the rituals, their way of praying, eating, training, living and surviving in the desert.”
It goes without saying that the first film is not negligible: almost as long as Part Two, Dune does not just establish a setting and a plot. As the filmmaker still wants to point out: “Obviously, the journey is better having seen the first film, but I tried to do it this way.”
Dune: Part Two was released in theaters on February 28, 2024.
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