Dune stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya take centre stage as Empire release epic covers featuring House Atreides and the Fremens

The highly-anticipated re-imagining of Frank Herbert's sci-fi novels is gearing up for a release in December this year.

And ahead of Dune hitting cinemas, Empire have released not one but two epic new covers, with stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya leading the way.

The stunning issues, available early next month, portrays Timothée as the film's protagonist, Paul Atreides, standing amid House Atreides, while the other features Zendaya as Paul's love interest Chani, of the Freman people. 

Wow: Ahead of Dune hitting cinemas, Empire have released not one but two epic new covers, with stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya leading the way

Joining Timothée's Paul on the first cover is with Oscar Isaac, as his father Duke Leto while Rebecca Ferguson features as his mother Lady Jessica, the Bene Gesserit witch.

Completing the line-up is Josh Brolin as their right hand man and and master-at-arms Gurney Halleck.

Over on the second cover, the Freman people of the planet Arrakis make their mark, with Javier Bardem standing tall as Stilgar, leader of one of the Fremen tribes.

Sharon Duncan-Brewster takes her place as Liet-Kynes, while Jason Mamoa portrays non-Freman Duncan Idaho in the atmospheric image. 

Epic: The stunning issues, available early next month, portrays Timothée as the film's protagonist, Paul Atreides, standing amid House Atreides, while the other features Zendaya as Paul's love interest Chani, of the Freman people

A third cover sees a horrifying first look at the sandworms of Arrakis, with Paul in apparent danger as one looms over him. 

The sensational and atmospheric new covers give fans a tantalising glimpse of the much-hyped film, ahead of the official trailer, which is set for an early September release. 

Dune follows Chalamet's Atreides and his family as they embark on a trip to desert mining planet Arrakis to oversee the extraction of melange, the most valuable substance in the universe. 

A royal decree awards Arrakis to Duke Leto Atreides and ousts his bitter enemies, the Harkonnens. However, when the Harkonnens violently seize back their fiefdom, it is up to Paul, Leto's son, to lead the Fremen, the natives of Arrakis, in a battle for control of the planet and its spice. 

First look: A third cover sees a horrifying first look at the sandworms of Arrakis, with Paul in apparent danger as one looms over him

The story is being re-adapted from the classic Frank Herbert novel by French Canadian director Denis Villeneuve.

Speaking in April, Villeneuve, who has previously made lauded sci-fi offerings including Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, spoke about adapting the legendary novel, including its incredible complicated plot that has previously been deemed 'unfilmable.' 

Detailing how he came to take the director's chair, Villeneuve told Vanity Fair: 'I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie. The world is too complex. It's a world that takes its power in details.' 

'It's a book that tackles politics, religion, ecology, spirituality—and with a lot of characters,' he added. 'I think that's why it's so difficult. Honestly, it's by far the most difficult thing I've done in my life.' 

Candid: Dune director Denis Villeneuve said on Tuesday it was 'the most difficult thing he's done in his life' and said the book's world is so complex it needs to be adapted into two films

Going on to discuss the relevance of Herbert's 20th century novel even now, the Sicario filmmaker said how it examined issues such as oil, capitalism and the exploitation of the earth.

'Today, things are just worse. It's a coming-of-age story, but also a call for action for the youth,' he admitted. 

While Chalamet told the publication: 'The immediately appealing thing about Paul was the fact that in a story of such detail and scale and world-building, the protagonist is on an anti-hero’s-journey of sorts'. 

He added: 'He thinks he's going to be sort of a young general studying his father and his leadership of a fighting force before he comes of age, hopefully a decade later, or something like that.' 

Conditions: On directing Dune, Villeneuve said: 'I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie' (pictured: Timothée Chalamet's character Paul Atreides)

Elsewhere, in May, Villeneuve likened Chalamet's character in the film to another famous and classic movie personality. 

'Paul Chalamet's has been raised in a very strict environment with a lot of training, because he's the son of a Duke and one day... he's training to be the Duke,' he told Empire.

'But as much as he's been prepared and trained for that role, is it really what he dreams to be? That's the contradiction of that character. It's like Michael Corleone in The Godfather – it's someone that has a very tragic fate and he will become something that he was not wishing to become.'

Leading man: Elsewhere, in May, Villeneuve likened Chalamet's character in the film to another famous and classic movie personality 

'It's a very beautiful story about someone that becomes empowered,' the director later added.

Dune, a Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures film, is currently slated for a holiday release on December 18th.

The film is the second adaptation of Herbert's sprawling book after David Lynch released his version in 1984, starring Sting and Kyle MacLachlan. 

Story: Dune follows Chalamet's Atreides and his family as they embark on a trip to desert mining planet Arrakis to oversee the extraction of melange, the most valuable substance in the universe