DirectorDenis Villeneuvehas offered an update on the development of a possible third and final movie in theDunefranchise, declaring that he will not make it if does not promise to be as good (or better) thanDune 2. The sci-fi epic sequelDune: Part Twohas now been released to much acclaim, with many no doubt wondering when we might return to Arrakis but, when speaking withEmpire, Villeneuve has hinted that we may have to wait a little while yet.
“If we go back, it needs to be real, it needs to be relevant, if ever I do Dune Messiah, [it’s] because it’s going to be better than Part Two. Otherwise, I don’t do it.”
While Villeneuve may want to wait forDune 3, considering thebox office and critical successofDune 2, the studio is likely hoping to get him back in Arrakis quickly. The filmmaker, though, feels he needs a break after six years with his mind on the unrelenting desert.
“I did both movies back-to-back, which makes absolute sense for me. I felt that it was a good idea to move forward right after Part One. We were already designing, writing et cetera. But it also meant that for six years I was on Arrakis non-stop, and I think it will be healthy to step back a little bit. First, make sure that we have a strong screenplay. The thing I want to avoid is not having something ready. I never did it, and now I feel it could be dangerous because of the enthusiasm. We need to make sure all the ideas are on paper.”
The Ending of Dune 2 Differs From the Frank Herbert’s Novel
Following on from 2021’sDune, Dune: Part Twocontinues to explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Dune 3 and the Much Darker Direction of Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, Explained
Dune: Part Two ended on a bleak note. That’s nothing compared to where Dune: Messiah goes.
The first twoDunemovies cover the first Frank Herbert novel, meaning that, should the third installment never materialize, it already works as a complete story. The ending, though, does leave a few hints at what’s to comeshouldDune 3get the greenlight, with Villeneuve making some changes to the ending of the source material and Paul and Chani’s relationship.
As the filmmaker explained…
“I think it’s much more romantic. It’s much more emotional. We can relate to that. He has to do a political move, and it’s a feudal world so to get power he will take Irulan’s hand, but the way he expresses it in the film is much more romantic. I think from Chani’s perspective, she is destroyed by the fact that Paul is going towards Irulan, but much more by the fact that he becomes a colonising figure, something he said to her he would never do.”
