The First Timothée Chalamet-Starring 'Dune' Is Back in Cinemas Down Under to Help You Prepare for Part Two

It was meant to be the sci-fi hit of 2020. It ended up being one of 2021's standouts instead. It picked up a heap of 2022 Oscars and has a sequel about to drop. Spice saga Dune is also now back on the big screen in Australia and New Zealand, giving audiences another chance to see it in the best way possible.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049), the 2021 film followed in David Lynch's footsteps, making a new adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel — and managing what Alejandro Jodorowsky sadly couldn't (see: excellent documentary Jodorowsky's Dune) in the process. It also gave the world a stunning new science-fiction cinema classic, which started its return season in cinemas on Thursday, February 8, 2024 Down Under in preparation for part two arriving at the end of the month.

The initial Villeneuve-helmed Dune flick scored ten Oscar nominations and six wins for beginning the space-opera series' story. In the 2021 film, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet, Wonka) headed to Arrakis because his dad Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac, Moon Knight) had just been given stewardship of the planet and its abundance of 'the spice' — aka the most valuable substance in the universe — and then got caught up in a bitter feud with malicious forces over the substance. It also saw Paul meet the population of people known as the Fremen, including Chani (Zendaya, Euphoria), plus Javier Bardem's (Lyle, Lyle Crocodile) Stilgar, which is who he and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson, Silo) are with in Dune: Part Two.

The second film has also taken the long way to cinemas, after originally being slated to release in November 2023, then postponed during Hollywood's strikes. It will now keep the tale going from Thursday, February 29. This time, war has arrived on the franchise's spice-laden planet, and Paul and the Fremen are ready to fight. The former doesn't just want to face off against the folks who destroyed his family, but for the sandy celestial body, with Chani at his side.

Expansive desert landscape, golden and orange hues, sandworms, Villeneuve's reliable eye for a spectacle and Hans Zimmer's (The Son) sonic best: they're all part of the first movie. So are Josh Brolin (Outer Range), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Beau Is Afraid) and Charlotte Rampling (Benedetta) among the cast.

Some cinemas are also doing Dune double features on Wednesday, February 28, the evening before the second part officially releases, if you want the full Chalamet-led Dune experience so far in one sitting.

Check out trailers for Dune and Dune: Part Two below:

Dune returned to cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 8, 2o24. Read our review.

Dune: Part Two will release in cinemas Down Under on Thursday, February 29, 2024.