Josh Brolin recently revealed that Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part 2 was set to begin shooting this summer, and Warner Bros. has now officially announced that production will kick-off in Budapest on July 18.
The studio has also confirmed a couple of recent casting reports, with Florence Pugh (Black Widow) locked in as the Emperor's daughter Princess Irulan, and Austin Butler (Elvis) set to play the evil Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen.
The release included a brief synopsis: “Part Two will focus on Paul assembling a massive army of Fremen to combat the ruthless Harkonnen, as he essentially becomes a mythical messiah figure to the inhabitants of Arrakis.”
In Frank Herbert's novel, Feyd is the nephew of Baron Harkonnen, and every bit as sadistic and cunning as his vile uncle. Sting famously portrayed the character in David Lynch's '80s adaptation. Irulan does not have a prominent part to play in the first book, but we assume her role will be expanded for Villeneuve's sequel.
Brolin, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista and the rest of the principal cast expected to return. Dune: Part 2 is set to hit theaters on Oct. 20, 2023