Dune Part 2 trailer teases thrills, sci-fi spills, and Timothée Chalamet riding a sandworm

The first trailer for Dune: Part Two has been released online, and the hotly anticipated sci-fi epic looks and sounds as thrilling as we expected it to.

Warner Bros. Pictures' stunning follow-up to Dune, which is set to arrive in theaters worldwide on November 3, is one of our most anticipated new movies of 2023. And, given how extraordinarily good its sequel looks in the teaser below, you'll be hard pressed to find a more visually arresting, action-packed sci-fi film than Dune: Part Two this year.

Here's a brief plot synopsis, too, courtesy of Warner Bros: "Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee."

Dune: Part Two's official trailer comes just 24 hours after Warner Bros. released a bite sized teaser on its social media channels. 

The 45-second long trailer showed Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides setting up a thumper device – to attract one of Arrakis' colossal sandworms – on a, well, sand dune before quickly scaling back up said dune to safety. The last 15 seconds of the teaser were dedicated to the movie's major players, including first looks at Florence Pugh's regal-looking Princess Irulan and Austin Butler's menacing Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, who enter the intergalactic fray in the sequel.

The film's official trailer builds on the teaser's footage, with Paul Atreides shown riding a sandworm, preparing to battle Feyd-Rautha, and leading the Fremen against the might of the galactic empire and House Harkonnen. There's plenty more besides, too, so it's worth rewatching the trailer to soak it all in.

Overall, the Denis Villeneuve-directed sequel – Villeneuve also helmed 2021's Dune – looks like it's going all out to better its predecessor. Not only does Dune: Part Two look even more spectacular than what came before (Dune is available to stream on HBO Max right now, FYI) did, it's also gearing up to be more action-heavy, frenetically paced, and awe-inspiring than the film preceding it.

That's before we get to the rest of its A-list ensemble cast. As well as Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Stephen McKinley Henderson are all back after featuring in various capacities in Dune. Zendaya and Javier Bardem, who made fleeting appearances in that movie, are also returning, with the pair's roles expanded for the sequel.

Joining the above on the cast list are – as mentioned – Butler (Elvis) and Pugh (Black Widow, The Wonder), as well as Léa Seydoux (No Time to Die) and Christopher Walken (Severance, The Deer Hunter). We already knew Pugh was joining Dune: Part Two's cast, with the actor signing on in March 2022. Butler was added to the movie's ensemble just a few days later, with Walken and Seydoux following suit in May and June respectively. For those interested: Walken will play Emperor Shaddam IV, who rules over the galaxy, while Seydoux has been cast as Lady Margot, another member of the Bene Gesserit and a close friend of Shaddam IV.

Dune: Part Two adapts the second half of Frank Herbert's legendary sci-fi novel of the same name, with a screenplay penned by Villneueve and Jon Spaihts. Filming on Dune: Part Two began in July 2022 and, as confirmed by Chalamet, ended in December of the same year. With just six months to go until it sandworm-rides its way into theaters globally, here's hoping its post-production team aren't crunching too hard (if at all) for Dune 2 to meet its current launch date.

For more Dune-based coverage, find out how Villeneuve brought Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi novel to life on the big screen. Alternatively, find out if Dune made it onto our best HBO Max movies list.