A sequel to Denis Villeneuve's Dune is on the way and is scheduled for October 2023, but how is the project coming along right now? The director told Collider that the sequel is now in "full prep" and that the screenplay for it is "finished mostly."

　　Villeneuve said he is feeling even more pressure to deliver with Dune 2, at least in some respects.

　　"The first one, it was more to make sure that we will land in the world and that the movie will be accepted. Now it's to make sure that we can close that first book, so it's like there's some premises that are in the first movie that I need to ignore," he said. "So yeah, I think I would say there's more pressure with the second one in some ways."

　　As for the script, Villeneuve said that while it is close to being finished, it is "always a work in progress" and will remain that way until the director makes the final cut. That being said, Villeneuve said, "I will say [the script] is solidified. I have a script in my hands. We are in prep right now."

　　Like the 2021 Dune, the 2023 sequel will also be shot for IMAX, Villeneuve also confirmed.

　　In addition to returning cast members like Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and Stellan Skarsgaard, the sequel will feature Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, among other new cast members.

　　Released during the pandemic, Dune made more than $400.5 million worldwide in theaters. It was also released on HBO Max and no doubt helped drive new subscribers to the service. Villeneuve was critical of the decision to launch Dune on HBO Max, saying that watching Dune on HBO Max is like driving a speedboat through a bathtub.