DUNE Director Teases Third Installment in Series
By Movieguide® Contributor
In a recent interview with Empire, DUNE director Denis Villeneuve shared his hopes for a third movie to tap off a Dune trilogy.
“If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream,” Villeneuve told Empire.
While Villeneuve originally planned to create a double feature telling the story of Frank Herbert’s 1965 classic novel, he now feels he could share more of the story. Herbert wrote five sequels to the original “Dune,” fleshing out the world of Arrakis.
Villeneuve’s dream for his third and final movie is to bring Herbert’s second book, “Dune Messiah,” to movie audiences.
“‘Dune Messiah’ was written in reaction to the fact that people perceived Paul Atreides as a hero,” Villeneuve said. “Which is not what he wanted to do. My adaptation [of “Dune”] is closer to his idea that it’s actually a warning.”
Given the first movie’s success, which grossed over $400 million worldwide during 2021’s lackluster year at the box office, Warner Bros. will likely greenlight Villeneuve’s third venture in the Dune universe.
Villeneuve, however, has shared that he would stop at three movies, feeling there would be little source material to go on from there.
“After [“Dune Messiah”] the books become more…esoteric,” he said.
While nothing is officially in the works for DUNE: PART 3, the director teased, “there are words on paper.”
As for the upcoming movie, fans will have to wait a little longer to return to Arrakis as Warner Bros. recently announced DUNE: PART TWO will be delayed until March of next year due to the actors’ strike.
Movieguide® previously reported on DUNE: PART 2:
After a better-than-expected performance at the domestic box office, Legendary confirmed the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE.
“I just received news from Legendary that we are officially moving forward with Dune: Part Two,” the movie’s director said. “It was a dream of mine to adapt Frank Herbert’s Dune, and I have the fans, the cast, and crew, Legendary and Warner Bros. to thank for supporting this dream. This is only the beginning…”
“Legendary is pleased to officially move forward with Dune: Part Two … once again based on the amazing books written by Frank Herbert,” Legendary added. “We would not have gotten to this point without the extraordinary vision of Denis and the amazing work of his talented crew, the writers, our stellar cast, our partners at Warner Bros., and of course the fans! Here’s to more Dune.”