In a recent interview with an American entertainment news agency, director Denis Villeneuve expressed his desire to make a third film in the ‘Dune’ franchise, titled ‘Dune Messiah’, if it receives the green light. Villeneuve spoke about his aspirations and called it a dream come true.
Villeneuve said, “If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream. ‘Dune Messiah’ was written in reaction to the fact that people perceived Paul Atreides as a hero, which is not what [Herbert] wanted to do. My adaptation of Dune is closer to his idea that it’s actually a warning.”
However, the director stated that he will bid farewell to the franchise after the completion of the third movie, emphasizing that the project is currently just “words on paper.”
It’s worth mentioning that ‘Dune: Part Two’ was originally scheduled for a November release but has been postponed to March 2024 due to ongoing Hollywood strikes. The sequel will continue the story and follow Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) as he teams up with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen to battle the evil Harkonnens.
The star-studded cast includes Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Léa Seydoux, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, and others.
Denis Villeneuve and Hans Zimmer have returned as the director and music composer, respectively, for the second installment.
‘Dune’ or ‘Dune: Part One’ was one of the most successful films of 2021, with a production budget of $165 million and earning nearly $225 million worldwide. It garnered critical acclaim and won 10 Academy Awards in categories such as Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, and Best Visual Effects.