Dune director Denis Villeneuve is working on a third movie, but don’t call it a “trilogy”

Dune director Denis Villeneuve is working on a third movie, but don't call it a "trilogy"

As a dedicated fan of science fiction and cinema, I find myself utterly captivated by the works of Denis Villeneuve, particularly his epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune.” The man has truly outdone himself with this masterpiece, breathing life into a story that had been etched in my imagination since my teenage years.


Over the past few years, Denis Villeneuve has earned significant recognition for his role as director of the upcoming Dune movies. The combined adaptations of Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two aim to bring to life Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi masterpiece, which tells the story of a young man named Paul Atreides who relocates with his family to a desert planet. By the novel’s end, Paul becomes the ruler of the entire cosmos.

Herbert actually wrote five more Dune novels after the original (and then his son wrote 17 more after that). Villeneuve is currently at work on adapting the second Dune book, Dune Messiah, into a movie, although after that it sounds like he’s eager to leave behind Arrakis. The guy had basically no break between making Parts One and Two, and as meaningful as making the Dune movies has been for him (the inscription on his high school ring read “muad’dib,” one of Paul Atreides’ many monikers — he doesn’t want to be in the desert forever.

In his conversation with Vanity Fair, Villeneuve clarified that the movies he had adapted were essentially two parts of a set. He referred to this as a “pair” or “duo,” similar to an art piece made up of two separate but connected pieces. He emphasized that these two films are now complete and standalone. If he decides to create a third film, it won’t be part of a traditional trilogy. Instead, it would represent a fresh take, maintaining its own unique identity.

Transforming “Dune Messiah” into a distinct narrative shouldn’t be challenging for several reasons. Firstly, it occurs years after the events of “Dune,” when Paul has become an emperor. Denis Villeneuve, in an interview with Vanity Fair, has shared that he has a strategy to age the cast appropriately. While Timothée Chalamet, who played Paul in the initial films, was older than the character’s age in the book, he still delivered a convincing performance. It’s plausible that he could portray an even slightly older Paul during the filming of “Messiah.” Another suggestion is to grow a mustache, which could add to the aged appearance.

After wrapping up “Dune: Messiah,” it seems Denis Villeneuve is open to exploring new territories in the future, as he shared, “If ‘Dune: Messiah’ ever comes to life, it would mark quite a stretch for me on Arrakis. I’d be thrilled to venture elsewhere, but only if the project has the potential to continue beyond my involvement.” He added, “I believe these books are too captivating not to explore further. They might be more challenging to adapt, growing increasingly esoteric, yet I’ve planted some seeds in this project for someone else to cultivate if they wish to carry on the story.

If the upcoming “Dune Messiah” films are as successful as the first two “Dune” movies, it’s highly likely that additional installments will follow suit. Director Denis Villeneuve is correct in noting that the books become more complex and obscure as they progress, but the immediate sequel to “Messiah,” titled “Children of Dune,” remains relatively straightforward and engaging. I have a strong feeling that we’ll see this book adapted into films (possibly even multiple films) at the very least.

It’s intriguing that Denis Villeneuve continues to hint at the possibility of a Dune Messiah and another film. However, I believe he’s merely playing coy. Warner Bros. Discovery has an “unnamed Denis Villeneuve project” scheduled for December 2026, suggesting that he is indeed committed. After that, it seems we may bid farewell to Arrakis.

Currently, HBO is set to debut a new TV series based on Dune, titled “Dune: Prophecy”, scheduled for release in November this year.

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2024-09-11 20:41

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