Denis Villeneuve Says ‘Dune Messiah’ Will Be His Last ‘Dune’ Film But Wants Franchise To Continue
Director Denis Villeneuve and Timothée Chalamet on the set of 'Dune: Part Two,' courtesy of Niko Tavernise.
As expected, ‘Dune’ director Denis Villeneuve has confirmed that a third installment will be his last involvement in the franchise.
Villeneuve also spoke on ‘Dune’ not being a traditional trilogy.
“It’s important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych. It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That’s done and that’s finished,” Villeneuve said in an interview with Vanity Fair. “If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it’s not like a trilogy. It’s strange to say that, but if I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity.”
The cast of ‘Dune Messiah’ will be age a little more when they arrive at the principal photography stage in 2025 (expected). It’s fitting considering Frank Herbert’s novel is set 12 years after the first Dune book. Returning cast members are confirmed to be (so far) Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya.
Villeneuve sparked interest in someone else at the helm of the Dune franchise:
“Listen, if Dune: Messiah happens, it will have been many years for me on Arrakis, and I would love to do something else,” Villeneuve added. “I think that it would be a good idea for me to make sure that, in Messiah, there are the seeds in the project if someone wants to do something else afterwards, because they are beautiful books. They are more difficult to adapt. They become more and more esoteric. It’s a bit more tricky to adapt, but I’m not closing the door. I will not do it myself, but it could happen with someone else.”
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‘Dune’ (2021) shook up the cinematic world as Denis Villeneuve added new depth and gravatas to the sci-fi genre, landing 10 Academy Award nominations winning 6. ‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024) has been hailed by fans and critics alike as one of the greatest achievements in sci-fi history, with some even calling in one of the best films ever made (and it’s hard to disagree).
‘Part Two’ smashed the box office, ending at $712 million worldwide. The film is expected to earn more than 10 Academy Award nominations in March, including Best Director in which Villeneuve was snubbed for the first film. Early predications say the film could earn the Best Picture win.
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