After multiple delays due to historic Hollywood labor disputes, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two finally arrives in theaters this weekend. His 2021 hit Dune: Part One made $433 million worldwide, and cleaned up at the Oscars with six Academy Awards. The film was not immune to discourse, however. Many critics claimed they couldn’t pass judgment upon the film until they saw how the story completed in Part Two. Others were upset that they only got half a movie. Regardless, early reviews of Part Two seem very positive, with a 4.5 (out of 5) average on Letterboxd and 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. So it seems like everyone is ready to get hyped.
We’re hyped too. On this episode of The Long Take Review, Greg, P.T., and I celebrate Dune: Part One and the Dune franchise more generally in order to prepare for Dune: Part Two. We share our memories of seeing Dune: Part One, discuss the history of the franchise, and try to pinpoint why Villeneuve’s adaptation is the most successful to date. Then we have way too much fun sharing our Top Three Things We Love About Dune. To round out the conversation, we look back at Part One’s performance at the Oscars and speculate as to how Dune: Part Two might fare at next year’s ceremony.
You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Image Credit: The New Yorker
The Short Take We walk down memory lane and reflect on our reactions to Dune: Part One. 4:21
SPOILER MODE The history of the wider franchise and The Top Three Things We Love About Dune. 20:12
Oscars Watch How did Dune: Part One perform at the Oscars? And what might we expect for Dune: Part Two? 1:35:55
Show Notes:
Jen’s original Dune: Part One review referenced in this episode.
Here is some news coverage of the Nolan/Villeneuve team-up we mentioned, plus the original clip from the Tenet screening that started the story.
All music licensed through Epidemic Sound.
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Dune Retrospective: The Hype Must Flow