Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two, to be released on March 1, 2024, will debut in a 70mm format for IMAX theaters, following in the tracks of Oppenheimer.
The film was shot entirely with 1.43:1 ARRI Alexa IMAX-certified digital cameras, unlike its predecessor Dune: Part One, which saw only 40 percent filmed in full IMAX. Oppenheimer, by contrast was shot using traditional film, not digital.
Based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, Dune: Part Two is another chapter in the heroic journey of Paul Atreides as he joins with Chani and the Fremen while trying to avenge his father’s murder. It stars Timothée Chalamet as Atreides, Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Austin Butler as Feyd-Rautha, and Léa Seydoux as Lady Margot. Other cast members include Javier Bardem, Dave Bautidts, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Stellan Skarsgård, and Zendaya.
Described by Oppenheimer’s director Christopher Nolan as the “gold standard” of filmmaking, the IMAX 70mm format offers a significantly higher resolution, creating a more detailed image and immersive viewing experience. As Nolan himself has stated: “[The] sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled. The headline, for me, is by shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you’re really letting the screen disappear.
You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You’ve got a huge screen and you’re filling the peripheral vision of the audience.
You’re immersing them in the world of the film.
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Dune: Part Two had originally been slated for release this year but the SAG-AFTRA strike caused it to be postponed till March 15, 2024. The debut has since been advanced two weeks, allowing viewers to have their 70mm immersive experience on March 1.
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