The age classification for Dune: Part Two has now been made public, and it carries on the legacy of the 1984 film. Denis Villeneuve’s first installment in the series, released in 2021 and based on material by author Frank Herbert, introduces viewers to Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides and the epic war he finds himself in. The release date for Villeneuve’s critically praised epic sequel was just postponed to the upcoming spring.
FilmRatings.com reports that the MPAA has given Dune: Part Two an official PG-13 rating for “sequences of strong violence, some suggestive material, and brief strong language.” Its predecessor from 2021 received a PG-13 classification for “sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images, and suggestive material.” The 1984 adaptation, which was directed by David Lynch, was rated PG-13.
A PG version of the movie might not have the sharpness and ferocity that the plot requires. The original work by Herbert, After, contains some violent scenes, and the plot revolves around an epic battle between two homes. The psychological tone and the justification of the fights and battles are seemingly impossible within the realms of a PG rating. Moreover, an R rating might restrict Dune: Part Two’s financial potential. Even if it might be claimed that an R rating would fit the crude combat shown in the movie’s scenario, it would also limit the film’s financial opportunities. After all, an R classification would exclude a sizable portion of viewers who haven’t reached the age of eighteen.
Villeneuve proved with his first Dune that a PG-13 rating is the ideal compromise to give the plot and its brutality the weight they require whilst simultaneously rendering the adaptation approachable to a wider audience. Dune: Part Two’s depiction of violence may or may not be comparable to that of the original film, based on the recent MPAA rating and the movie’s trailers.