Dune director Denis Villeneuve has revealed that the upcoming second film will be shot "by the end of the summer".

The dystopian sci-fi epic, starring the likes of Timothee Chalamet and Josh Brolin, delivered a solid box office performance and garnered critical acclaim following its release in October.

The follow-up film was officially announced just several days after the first part opened and now Villeneuve has said that he is almost ready to start production.

"I will say it is mostly designed," he told Empire. "The thing that helps us right now is that it's the first time I've revisited a universe. So I'm working with the same crew, everybody knows what to do, we know what it will look like.

"The movie will be more challenging, but we know where we are stepping. And the screenplay is written. So I feel confident. Frankly, the only big unknown for me right now is the pandemic."

As for the plot of the second film, Villeneuve promised that there would be more screen time for the villainous Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) as he attempts to thwart the ascendancy of Paul (Chalamet).

"It's like a chess game," he added. "Some new characters will be introduced in the second part and a decision I made very early on was that this first part would be more about Paul Atreides and the Bene Gesserit, and his experience of being in contact for the first time with a different culture. Second part, there will be much more Harkonnen stuff."

Dune: Part Two is due for release on October 20, 2023.