When I walked into the theater for Dune: Part Two (Read our review here!), I was both anticipating the best and the worst. I have yet to be disappointed by a Denis Villeneuve film. Each new film he creates is more grand than the last. He continues to try new things. Dune: Part One was a film I was very unsure of. I never read the novels, but Dune, even according to fans, seems to be a book that doesn’t translate well to the screen. I was shocked when I walked out of the first film feeling captivated. I was excited to see the next movie. Now it’s here.
Denis Villeneuve is a director and writer who isn’t afraid of taking risks. His filmography is full of large, ambitious projects. He blends artistry and nuance into big-budget productions. Dune: Part 2 is another one of those major risks. You can tell just from the trailers. It has a variety of both big and small-scale challenges. For some directors, they wouldn’t have even tried to make Dune. Villeneuve is giving us multiple Dune films. Not only is he banking on success, but he’s ready to make the next film after it. So what makes this film so risky?
Is The Risk Worth The Reward?
Even in 2024 as the film debuts in theaters, there are many turned off by subtitles, which this film has. The dialogue is also fairly complex which could be a turn-off. Plus the film is just under three hours long. If you’ve paid attention to conversations around film, the length of movies has been a major debate.
Because the first Dune film from 2021 debuted simultaneously on Max the same day as it went to theaters, Dune is somewhat unproven as a franchise. We will never know if the first film would join the “Billion Dollar Club”. Despite the same day release, the original still made over $400 million at the box office. Hopefully that’s a good sign for Dune: Part Two.
For many, this film might seem like an automatic win for Warner Bros. Discovery and Legendary Films, but we live in a strange time. Box office domination is no longer certain. I’d love to see its success. The better the film industry is doing, the better off I am after all. Even beyond my own benefit, I’d like to see Villeneuve’s blend of artistry and storytelling continue to shape Hollywood. Yes, this is a sequel in a franchise, but it’s a risky, complex story. This isn’t the average blockbuster movie. I’d like to see more not-so-average films in theaters. Is the risk worth the reward? Time will tell.
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