Dune 2, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, excites fans at the premiere

Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya fever took over London on Thursday night as the Hollywood heartthrobs hit the red carpet for the world premiere of their new film, Dune: Part Two.

Large crowds of fans queued for hours to see them, shouting their names as they entered.

Zendaya drew gasps from the crowd when she finally appeared in a stunning metallic bodysuit.

The long-awaited sequel was originally set to premiere last fall.

The release date was delayed due to strikes by Hollywood actors and writers, which affected the industry for much of last year.

“It’s a huge relief to finally be able to release the film,” director Denis Villeneuve told BBC News. He added that he will be “biting his nails” until the film hits theaters next month.

Florence Pugh and Austin Butler were also among the star-studded cast celebrating the film’s release.

The epic sci-fi film is based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune and has won numerous accolades, including the hugo award.

It follows the journey of Paul Atreides (Chalamet) as he teams up with his love interest, Chani (Zendaya), and the Fremen desert people as they face a massive enemy army.

In the sequel, Chalamet’s character learns his special way of surviving on the arid desert planet as he seeks revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family.

Chalamet admitted that he felt “a little pressure” to pull off the role given its critical and commercial success.

Speaking on the red carpet, the star said she was hopeful Dune: Part Three would continue. “I hope so, I hope so,” she shared.

The world of Dune can be quite confusing for those unfamiliar with the books. It’s filled with mystical prophecies, giant sandworms, and warring factions.

But for many of the fans at Thursday’s event in Leicester Square, the source material wasn’t the main reason they were there.

“I’m so excited to see Timothée Chalamet,” said one excited fan. “I love him,” declared another young woman holding a cardboard cutout of Chalamet.

Another fan told the BBC that she was waiting to see Zendaya.

Chalamet rose to fame in 2017’s Call Me By Your Name, which at the time led him to become the youngest nominee for the best actor Oscar.

Since then she has become an internet sensation and the favorite pin-up of millennials and Generation Z.

Zendaya, 27, is a well-known fashion icon and has built a loyal following in starring roles in Spiderman alongside her boyfriend Tom Holland and in Dune: Part One.

There was also a lot of screaming when Masters of Air actor Butler walked in, supported by his model girlfriend Kaia Gerber.

Best known for his award-winning portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis (2022), Butler made his debut in Dune as the bald, eyebrowless villain Feyd-Rautha.

“It was a really fun character to play,” Butler said. He added that he was a “big fan” of the book, as well as the first film. “So it was the time of my life to get into this.”

Also new to the Dune franchise is Oppenheimer actress Pugh, who plays the new character, Princess Irulan.

“She’s completely different to anything I’ve done before,” Pugh told BBC News, when asked to compare the character to some of her other memorable roles.

“Still with the same wisdom and boldness, but everything is moderate, so maybe I was able to spread my wings in a different position, and I had to let Denis guide me on the path that everyone in this cast feels very lucky to have taken. made”.

The star-studded cast also includes Mission Impossible star Rebecca Ferguson, who stars as Paul Atreides’ mother, and Josh Brolin as General Gurney Halleck.

Christopher Walken, who plays Emperor Shaddam, is another new face in the sequel, but he did not attend the London premiere.

Expectations with Dune: Part Two are through the roof, after the enormous success of the first installment.

Dune: Part One, which was released in October 2021, earned ten Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won six awards for cinematography, editing, music, visual effects, production design and sound.

It was also a box office success, grossing more than $400 million worldwide.

The anticipation for the new film is so great that it is even inspired. a bucket of viral popcornwhich has a lid in the shape of a sandworm.

It remains to be seen how global audiences will respond to Dune: Part Two, but for fans who got to see their idols Chalamet, Zendaya, and their co-stars at the premiere, this was the night they’ve been waiting for.

Dune 2 will be released in UK cinemas on March 1, 2024.