Warning: Contains SPOILERS for the "Dune" book that may or may not happen in Dune: Part Two.
Dune: Part Two has begun filming, and its plot synopsis hints that the sequel is fixing the first movie’s only mistake. After the huge success of Dune, which won six of the ten Academy Awards it was nominated for, anticipation is high for the continued adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 “Dune” book. Dune’s cliff-hanger ending saw Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides join the Fremen and set out to fulfill his father's plans for bringing peace to Arrakis, a planet facing interclan warfare and struggles over spice control.
Dune: Part Two is set to take place in the Arrakis desert once again. An official synopsis of Dune: Part Two teases the movie will firmly unite Paul with Zendaya’s Freman warrior Chani and the Fremen clan, leading them in the war against the Harkonnens and seeking revenge after their attempt to destroy House Atreides. For those familiar with the original Herbert novel, Dune: Part Two will likely also cover the liberation of Arrakis and Paul’s mission to take down Christopher Walken’s Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, who is expected to join forces with Dune’s Baron Harkonnen.
While Dune focused primarily on Paul Atreides, the second installment will take a closer look at other characters, including Zendaya’s Chani. Although Chani narrated Dune’s opening and appeared in Paul’s prophetic visions throughout the film, the character only appeared in person towards the movie's end. Many were disappointed to only see Zendaya in seven minutes of Dune’s two-hour-and-35-minute run time, especially as she was heavily utilized in the movie’s promotions. This is likely because Dune primarily covered the book's first half, whereas Chani is most relevant in the latter half of Herbert's novel. As a result, the Dune Sequel is expected to cover the rest of the book, so Zendaya’s Chani will undoubtedly play a more pivotal role in Dune: Part Two - fixing the first movie’s only big mistake.
What We Know About Zendaya's Role In Dune 2
Denis Villeneuve, director of Dune and its sequel, has shared Chani will be the female lead of Dune 2 - and she has a much more prominent role than in the first film. She will return as a Freman warrior and fight alongside Paul in the war against the Harkonnens. Chani will also play heavily into Paul’s story as his love interest, leading to a classic hero’s trope; Paul will have to choose between the love of his life or preventing a terrible fate of the universe, which only he can foresee.
With Dune’s sequel covering the remainder of the novel and featuring Zendaya’s Chani more prominently in the spice battle on Arrakis, Dune 2 is fixing the first movie’s only big mistake of not including the character more. Dune: Part Two will continue filming on location in Italy, Budapest, Abu Dhabi, and Jordan. In addition to Chalamet and Zendaya, much of the first movie’s cast will be returning, with the MCU’s Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, and more joining the cast for what will almost surely be a phenomenal second installment in Denis Villeneuve's Dune vision come to life.
