Two new images from Denis Villeneuve's Dune have been released ahead of the official trailer reveal on September 9. Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel of the same name (the first in a Dune series) boasts an incredible cast led by Timothée Chalamet and also stars Oscar IsaacRebecca FergusonJavier BardemZendayaJosh BrolinJason Momoa, and many more. The hype is slowly and steadily building for Dune as we approach the movie's mid-December release date. These new images contribute to the hype, allowing fans to get even more of an eyeful of Bardem, Isaac, and Ferguson.

The first of two images debuted by Empire magazine shows off Bardem's Stilgar, father to Chani (Zendaya) and leader of the Fremen of Arrakis, the planet where a majority of Dune's action is set. The clash over the natural resources of Arrakis — resources Stilgar and the Fremen care for and know well — is central to the plot of Dune. On one side of this clash is Duke Leto Atreides (Isaac), who we see in the second picture with his wife, Lady Jessica (Ferguson), the parents of Paul Atreides (Chalamet). Both photos showcase Bardem and Isaac as the brooding, powerful patriarchs heading up two different factions invested in the fight to maintain control over the mystical and valuable resources of the desert planet, a fight that will dominate the Dune story.

Speaking with Empire, Isaac touched down on why the clash over Arrakis' natural resources and the various sides invested in those resources is deeply relevant to the current moment and thus, why Dune is a movie worth watching. As he put it, "It’s about the destiny of a people, and the different ways that cultures have dominated other ones. How do a people respond when it’s at the tipping point, when enough is enough, [and] when they’re exploited? All those things are things we’re seeing around the world right now.”

Dune will be released in theaters on December 18, 2020. You can check out the two newest images from the upcoming sci-fi epic below. For more, read up on Denis Villeneuve's recent comments on casting Dune and finishing it amidst the pandemic.

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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Warner Bros.

Allie Gemmill is the Weekend Contributing Editor for Collider. You can follow them on Twitter @_matineeidle.