This has been an incredible year for filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, a director already held in high regard. His blockbuster sci-fi sequel Dune: Part 2 opened to incredible reviews (we gave it a perfect 5 stars) and stellar box office around the globe. It cemented the audiences’ interest in Villeneuve’s interpretation of Frank Herbert’s seminal novel, and it immediately generated conversation about whether or not the director and his cast would reunite for Dune 3 (or Dune: Messiah) to conclude a trilogy. News just broke that Dune 3 is in development at Legendary, but based on Villeneuve’s comments, I think fans need to brace for a wait.
Lots of people covering the Dune 3 news pointed to a Deadline report that Legendary had optioned Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War, and stated that the adaptation would be “another giant project after he completes Dune: Messiah.” It was at that point that Deadline noted the Dune sequel was in development. Which is great, but also, no duh. Legendary likes money, and the two Dune movies combined have earned north of $1 billion in global tickets sold. If you can get Denis Villeneuve to return for Dune: Messiah – and bring his A-list all-star cast with him – you make that deal.
Just, don’t expect Denis Villeneuve to dive right back into the world of Dune to conclude his trilogy as soon as possible. There’s a famous analogy that goes something like this: “Asking a director what movie they’re going to make next is a lot like asking a woman who has just delivered a child when they plan to get pregnant again.” Every filmmaker needs a break, especially one who commits to filming in desert conditions to make the sci-fi world of Arrakis feel as practical as possible.
During his appearance on CinemaBlend’s official ReelBlend podcast, Villeneuve reveals why it was important for him to sustain momentum and film the first two Dune movies back to back. But he admitted it was draining, and he needed to rely on his cast to keep him going. Villeneuve told ReelBlend:
I never left Arrakis. I went from Part One to Part Two directly. It was okay with me to do it this way because it's not a sequel. It's the second part of a story. And we all felt at the time that it was important to go back on Arrakis as quickly as possible. But that meant that we came back in the desert not with a lot of energy. Very inspired. A lot of enthusiasm. But let's just say that, my fuel was the actors. They really brought a tremendous amount of energy on set that I was grateful for.
He did not sound like a man who was ready to head back into the world of Frank Herbert. When you also include quotes that Denis Villeneuve gave to South Korean press (via Variety) in December, the idea of Dune 3 happening soon seemed far-fetched. He said:
I don’t know exactly when I will go back to Arrakis. I might make a detour before just to go away from the sun. For my mental sanity I might do something in between, but my dream would be to go a last time on this planet that I love.
That’s my guess. In order to keep things fresh, Denis Villeneuve will try and shoot something non-Dune before concluding his trilogy with Dune 3. It’s worth noting that author Frank Herbert set Dune: Messiah 12 years after the events of Dune, so some have been discussing the need for Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, and the main cast members to age up and fit the story. Not to say Villeneuve will wait 12 years…. but some time gap could only benefit the film.
Finally, Villeneuve also spoke on ReelBlend about being able to commit to Dune 3 if he knew it was his last trip into the Herbert universe. He told us:
When I commit to something, I commit a hundred percent to what I'm doing in the present time. I worked on both movies. It took me six years. There was a year because of the pandemic. But it's a lot of time. And if I do Messiah, it's going to be another two or three years of my life. So it's just that, for mental sanity, it's good to say, ‘OK, I can do one more.’ And after that, I'll see.
Listen to our full interview with Denis Villeneuve on behalf of Dune: Part 2.
And make sure to stay up to date on all of the upcoming 2024 movies reaching theaters so you know what to see, and when to see it.
