The big question following the release of Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part 1 was when the second half of the story would be released. The sequel was greenlit shortly after the movie hit theaters and HBO Max in 2021, but an actual production schedule has yet to be announced, prompting speculation and anxiety from fans about the continuation of the sprawling sci-fi epic and the feasibility of it hitting its scheduled October 2023 release date.

Thankfully, Villeneuve has offered some information in an interview with Empire. "We are supposed to start shooting at the end of the summer," he explained, and went on to elaborate that Part 2 is "mostly designed" and that the screenplay is written.