Zendaya suggests that her role in Dune: Part 2 will be much larger than in the first film. Dune, an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel of the same name, was released earlier in the year to acclaim from critics and fans alike. The film was praised for its cinematography, the performances of its ensemble cast, and Hans Zimmer’s award-nominated score.

Dune only covered the first section of the novel’s complex plot, but until recently, it wasn’t clear whether audiences would get to see the second half. The film, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was considered to be a financial risk, and studio executives were keen to wait until box-office and streaming results indicated whether a second part would be profitable. However, after the success of the first film, Dune: Part 2 has now been officially announced and will begin principal photography in the second half of 2022, giving audiences the chance to see more of the ensemble cast in action.

Now, in an interview with Deadline, Zendaya suggests that the role of her character, Chani, will be much more significant in Dune: Part 2. Though she becomes central to the story, she mostly appeared in visions and dream-sequences and had very little screen time. Zendaya was only on set for five days, though the total filming time for Dune took place over the course of five months. Check out her comments below:

I want to grow with the characters I play, and with the people that I get to learn from. Anybody who has read the books knows there’s so much more to explore and deal with. What was cool for me having not been around for much of the first shoot was getting to see the movie from a completely fresh perspective, because I hadn’t seen the sets and the scenes for most of the movie. And watching it felt like just the beginning of this story.

In Herbert’s novel, Chani inducts Paul in the ways of the Fremen and helps him in his fight for Arrakis. Alongside Lady Jessica, she becomes one of the characters closest to Dune’s protagonist, so Zendaya is right to say that fans can expect to see more of her character in Dune: Part 2. Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet are some of the world’s most popular movie stars and share a personal friendship, so fans should be excited by the prospect of the two sharing more time together on screen.

As well as adding more depth to characters who have already been introduced, like Zendaya’s Chani, Dune: Part 2 will also bring in fresh faces. One of the book’s main villains, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, was absent from the first film, and fans had speculated that the character might be cut from the film completely, or merged with Dave Bautista’s Glossu Rabban. However, Villeneuve recently confirmed that the character would be in the second part, and rumours suggest that Barry Keoghan could take on the role.

Dune 2 (2023)
Release Date: Oct 20, 2023