Here it is folks, the most important news bulletin you've read in 2022 so far: Javier Bardem, the esteemed actor who plays Stilgar in Denis Villeneuve's Dune, wants to plonk his backside on top of a sandworm in the space epic's yet-to-be-titled sequel. Well, let's be honest. Who doesn't?
Bardem, who was just nominated for a SAG for his role in Aaron Sorkin's Hollywood biopic Being the Ricardos, was speaking to Deadline about his award win when he opened up on his worm-riding ambitions. "I haven't read anything yet, so I'm not sure what's coming up next for me in Dune," the acclaimed performer said. "I know as much as you do at this point. I hear there are scripts but I haven't read anything," he continues. He does note that he "loves" Villeneuve - relatedly, the director wants to make the worm rodeo happen.
In Bardem's words:
“The only thing I’m asking is that I get to ride a sandworm. Denis told me he’s going to try to make that happen. That does happen in the book, by the way. Stilgar teaches [Timothée Chalomet's] Paul [Atreides] how to take the desert power, which is to domesticate those huge animals in order to use their force, their strength, and their huge size against the Harkonnen. Hopefully, that will happen.”
The release date for the Dune sequel has been set for October 20, 2023, since just after the premiere title in the franchise was released. It's no surprise, of course, that the sequel was announced so quickly: it was Warners' biggest box office opener of 2021, raking in $40 million in its first weekend despite a day-and-date release on HBO Max, their streaming platform. As Warners' tent pole titles for 2022 - think: The Batman, etc. - have thusfar been announced as theatrical exclusives, one would presume that Dune 2 will also see a theatre-only release... but time shall no doubt tell.
If you weren't already excited enough to return to the Spice Wars, Villeneuve had this to say about writing the sequel:
"I’m writing [Part Two] now, and I feel like I’m eight years old again. That’s very uncommon for me. It’s the first time I’ve experienced it where I’m watching one of my movies, and I have a moment of deep gratitude, of deep joy, and I say, 'Thank you, life, for having allowed me to bring that to the screen.' [laughs] I don’t know how other people will feel about it. But me? Denis Villeneuve when he was 14 years old? Thank you."
The Dune sequel does not yet have a release date.