Dune: Part One back in IMAX ahead of exclusive Fan First premiere of Dune: Part Two

This Friday, February 9, fans of the cinematic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic novel Dune will get another chance to see this sci-fi epic on the giant screen before its highly anticipated conclusion is released. 

Dune: Part One will return to the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater for a limited theatrical run from Friday, Feb. 9, through Tuesday, Feb. 13. These screenings will feature a special sneak peek at Dune: Part Two, which makes its way to theaters for a special IMAX-only early premiere on Sunday, February 25 — four days before it begins wider distribution.

Herbert’s story is set on the desert planet of Arrakis, an inhospitable and barren wasteland of sand and rock marked by torrential sandstorms and patrolled by colossal, burrowing sandworms. Yet this forsaken world holds a secret: spice, the fictional substance that makes all space travel possible in the Dune mythology.

In Dune, the emperor orders the noble house of Atreides to take over the governance of Arrakis. After arriving on Arrakis, Atreides’ heir, Paul (Timothée Chalamet), and his mother, Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), are placed squarely in the crosshairs of an impending conflict so vast it stands to upend the galactic order.

When it was released in 2021, director Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One received favorable reviews. The film was a top nominee at the 94th Academy Awards, receiving ten nominations and six wins (original score, sound, editing, cinematography, production design, visual effects). 

Part One’s grand scope and mesmerizing visuals made it especially well-suited to the giant screen. This popularity helped green light a second run victory lap at large-format movie houses such as the IMAX 3D Theater. The sequel similarly embraces the unique benefits of the giant screen and was filmed entirely with IMAX-certified digital cameras. 

Dune: Part Two features IMAX’s exclusive Expanded Aspect Ratio throughout the entire film, immersing moviegoers with 40% more picture. This extra real estate is used to best effect at the IMAX 3D Theater thanks to its cutting-edge IMAX with Laser technology. IMAX’s latest projection system is integrated into just a handful of theaters worldwide. It produces brighter, sharper, and more colorful screenings with thunderously immersive surround-sound audio. 

Arrakis isn’t the only cinematic destination giant-screen fans can visit at the IMAX 3D Theater in the early months of 2024. February and March’s menu of 2D feature-length offerings also includes Argylle through Thursday, Feb. 8, and Madame Web, which arrives on Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Daily screenings of the theater’s latest 45-minute film, The Arctic: Our Frozen Planet 3D, continue daily in February and March. Viewers have a few final chances to peer into the deepest reaches of our universe in Deep Sky before it is replaced by Blue Whales: Return of the Giants 3D on Friday, March 8.

All screenings of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two are in 2D.

Dates for upcoming feature films at the Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Theater:

Tickets are on sale now. For advance sales, a screening schedule and more information, visit tnaqua.org/imax/.