‘Dune’ is long and complicated. Here is a recap of the sci-fi movie and what to know before seeing the sequel

It’s been more than two years since “Dune” premiered in theaters. Amid the historic Hollywood strikes, the release of the follow-up film, “Dune: Part Two,” was pushed back several times.

But now, the highly-anticipated sci-fi sequel is finally here. And, based on early reviews, it’s really good.

“Dune” was hailed by critics as the kind of successful film adaptation of the book that fans had been desperately waiting for. According to ABC News, the sequel “outdoes” the first film.

“Having gone big in ‘Dune,’ his 2021 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s futuristic opus, the director Denis Villeneuve has gone bigger and more far out in the follow up,” wrote The New York Times. “The art of cinematic spectacle is alive and rocking in ‘Dune: Part Two,’ and it’s a blast.”

Adapting an intricate 700-page sci-fi novel into an enjoyable film is quite a feat. It’s also a feat to remember all the details from the first “Dune” movie before you see the sequel.

Here is a refresher on “Dune” and a look at what to expect from “Dune: Part Two.”

Brief synopsis of ‘Dune’ (2021)

“Dune” is set in the distant future. Intergalactic space travel is becoming commonplace. In the “Dune” universe, the key to space travel is spice, a valuable material which rules the economy. Control over spice equals ultimate power.

The 2021 movie begins when Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) is asked by Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) to take stewardship over the desert plant Arrakis. If he accepts, he’ll be replacing Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård), head of a rival house, per IMDb.

The climate on Arrakis is harsh, almost inhospitable, but contains rich deposits of spice. Arrakis is home to enormous sandworms that roam the planet, as well to the Fremen, an indigenous people who have adapted to the dry conditions.

Leto weighs the risks of ruling over the coveted planet but ultimately decides he cannot pass up the offer.

Meanwhile, Leto’s son, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), is undergoing training from Leto’s aides, Duncan Idaho (Jason Mamoa) and Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin). He is also learning the ancient Bene Gesserit practices from his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson). When Paul begins having troubling visions of the future — featuring a Fremen woman (Zendaya) — he confides in his mother, per IMDb.

Lady Jessica’s Bene Gesserit superior, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, visits the Atreides’ house to put Paul through the test of the Gom Jabbar, which judges his character. He passes the painful test. Jessica reveals she believes Paul is the the Kwisatz Haderach, a messianic Bene Gesserit figure who can see both the past and the future.

Then, Leto relocates his family from the ocean planet Caladan to Arrakis. He begins ruling over the spice mining operations and makes peace with the Fremen.

But the Atreides’ trusted doctor, Yeuh, turns out to be a traitor and incapacitates Leto — he hopes to exchange Leto for his wife, who the Baron has as a prisoner. Yeuh replaces one of Leto’s teeth with a poison capsule, which he instructs Leto to use to kill the Baron. The Atreides troops are then attacked by the Harkonnen troops.

Yeuh delivers Leto to the Baron and begs him to keep his end of the deal. The Baron kills Yeuh. Leto bites on the poison tooth, killing everyone in the room except the Baron, who is protected by a body shield, per IMDb.

Paul and Lady Jessica flee the capital and wander in the desert. They meet up with Stilgar, the Fremen leader, and Chani, the woman Paul has been dreaming about, per IndieWire.

At first, the Fremen are skeptical of Paul but he earns their acceptance when he wins a fight to the death against one of the strongest Fremen fighters. Paul and Jessica begin studying the Fremen religion, which includes riding the sandworms. They hope to bring peace to Arrakis.

Key details to note before watching ‘Dune: Part Two’

Spice is coveted

Spice melange, or just spice, is a drug known throughout the “Dune” universe as a powerful hallucinogen with a myriad of health benefits such as extending life, per Nerdist. It is essential to safe interstellar travel because it provides prescience — the ability to see into the future and traverse through space without colliding into planets and other spacecraft.

The planet Arrakis is the sole source of spice.

Fremen are indigenous to Arrakis

The Fremen consider Arrakis their home. They are known for their dark skin and bright blue eyes — which are a result of consuming spice, per Nerdist. Fremen have adapted to the planet’s harsh, arid conditions. Since water on Arrakis is scarce, the Fremen wear stillsuits, which prevent water loss and recycle water from the body’s moisture.

They worship the massive Arrakis sandworms and consider the creatures to be a physical manifestation of God, per Nerdist.

Arrakis is flooded with war

Several houses have come to Arrakis to run the planet and produce spice. Tensions have always been high between the Fremen, who are indigenous to Arrakis, and those who try to rule the planet, per IndieWire.

Leto Atreides dreams of bringing peace to Arrakis. He sends his right-hand man, Duncan Idaho, to live with the Fremen for several weeks. When Duncan returns, he reports that the Fremen are exceptional fighters who live in communities beneath the desert. He had earned the trust of a Fremen leader, Stilgar (Javier Bardem), who agrees to meet with Leto. Leto then makes peace with the Fremen.

Paul Atreides is the Fremen’s messiah

Duke Leto Arteries’ son, Paul Atreides, is seen as the chosen one who can save Arrakis from war.

The Fremen have long been waiting on a savior to lead them to peace, per IMDb. When Paul and Jessica join the Fremen people at the end of “Dune,” Paul takes the Fremen name Muad’Dib and embarks on a journey to unify the planet.

Paul is the Bene Gesserit’s Kwisatz Haderach

The Bene Gesserit is an ancient sisterhood of women who have mastered control over their bodies and minds, resulting in powers of telekinesis and mind control, per Esquire. One of their most recognized abilities is “The Voice,” a specific vocal tone they use which can hypnotize and control the listener.

Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica, has trained Paul in the powers of the Bene Gesserit since childhood. He is beginning to prove himself powerful in the ancient practices, specifically an ability to see into the future.

For generations, the Bene Gesserit practiced selective breeding in hopes of producing a male Kwisatz Haderach, who can elevate the Bene Gesserit’s powers. Lady Jessica was instructed to bear a daughter whose son would become the Kwisatz Haderach. She disobeyed and had a son, Paul. His royal lineage and unique capabilities suggest he is the Kwisatz Haderach, per IMDb.

Which stars are returning to ‘Dune: Part 2′?

Chalamet, Zendaya and the majority of stars from “Dune” returned for the film’s sequel.

A number of new stars, including Florence Pugh joined the cast.

Here are the stars who return and the ones who make new appearances in “Dune: Part Two.”

• Timothee Chalamet will reprise his role as Paul Atreides, the heir to the House of Atreides. Paul is destined to become a messiah-figure to the Fremen people.

• Zendaya will continue playing Chani, a strong Fremen fighter and love interest of Paul Atreides.

• Rebecca Ferguson comes back to the series as Lady Jessica, mother of Paul Atreides and a reverend mother of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, per IMDb.

• Stellan Skarsgård will return to the series as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, ruler over the vicious House of Harkonnen.

• Dave Bautista, who portrays Glossu Rabban, the nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, will reprise his role in the sequel.

• Josh Brolin will reprise his role as Gurney Halleck, the House of Atreides war master and a mentor to Paul Atreides, per ScreenRant.

• Javier Bardem will once again play Stilgar, the leader of a Fremen tribe on Arrakis.

• Stephen McKinley Henderson will return as Thufir Hawat, a Mentat — basically a human calculator — and head of security for the House of Atreides, per Nerdist.

• Florence Pugh will join the film series as Princess Irulan, the eldest daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV — the supreme leader of the galaxy. She is expected to take over one day as empress, as reported by Vanity Fair.

• Austin Butler will fill the role of the lethal Harkonnen prince Feyd-Rautha. Feyd is violently eager to inherit the throne from the Baron, per Vanity Fair.

• Christopher Walken will play Emperor Shaddam IV, the supreme leader of the galaxy and father to five daughters, per Vanity Fair.

• Léa Seydoux plays Margot Fenring, a Bene Gesserit and wife to Count Hasimir Fenring, the ruler of House Fenring.

Will there be a ‘Dune 3′?

Maybe.

“Dune: Part Two” will wrap up where the first “Dune” novel ends, but there are five more “Dune” novels written by Frank Herbert and a dozen more written by his son, Brian Herbert. In other words, the filmmakers have a lot of material to work with.

Though there have been no official announcements, “Dune” director Denis Villeneuve has hinted at the possibility of making more “Dune” sequels, starting with an adaptation of “Ace Dune Messiah,” the second book from Frank Herbert in the sci-fi series.

“I always thought there would be two movies for the first book. And I always thought ‘Dune Messiah’ would be a powerful film. I always saw a trilogy,” Villeneuve told Den of Geek in 2021.

In February, Villeneuve claimed to be working on a third film for the series. “It’s a movie that is still in the writing process,” he told Inverse. “I want to make sure that we find the best way to tell that story. We are close, and we are working on it, but it’s not finished.”

Watch: Trailer for ‘Dune: Part Two’

“Dune: Part Two” comes to theaters nationwide on March 1, 2024. Watch a trailer for the movie below.