Denis Villeneuve has been living and breathing Dune for the better part of the last eight years. What started as a teenage obsession with Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel, has become an epic cinematic journey, and Dune 3 couldn’t come any sooner.
After bringing Dune and Dune: Part Two to the big screen, the Canadian director finally took some much-needed time off. Or at least, that was the plan. His idea of a “break” involved what he referred to as “going into the woods.” But, as it turns out, the wilderness didn’t keep him away for long. Villeneuve is back with some exciting updates on the highly anticipated third installment of the series.
Where we last left off
Back in September, Villeneuve gave fans a sneak peek into his creative process during an interview with Vanity Fair’s Little Gold Men. Even though he is juggling multiple projects—an adaptation of the sci-fi novel Rendezvous with Rama and a film about Cleopatra—he’s been focusing on Dune: Messiah, and is already in the process of writing the script. This installment will be based on Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, which Villeneuve envisions as the final chapter in the franchise.
This third film will continue the story of Paul Atreides, but Villeneuve has made it clear that he doesn’t see the three films as a traditional trilogy. To him, Dune and Dune: Part Two are a “diptych,” meaning they work together as two halves of one complete story. But Dune: Messiah will be its own unique beast, something that stands apart. Furthermore, Villeneuve emphasized that he wants the third film to feel different, and with its own identity, so fans can expect a fresh take when the time comes.
Are we out of the woods yet?
Well, Villeneuve might be. As of October, fans received even more promising news from the director, who sat down with Deadline and gave a promising update on the next chapter. He dropped a few key details about Dune: Messiah, confirming that the story will pick up about 12 years after the events of Dune: Part Two, with a focus on concluding Paul Atreides’ arc. This next movie will explore a new phase in the lives of the characters we’ve come to know, and the journey they’re on will be significantly different from what we’ve seen so far.
When pressed about a potential timeline for the third film, Villeneuve was deliberately vague, and understandably so. He admitted that making these films is a time-consuming process, but hinted that his break in the woods may be cut short.
Let’s say that I thought that after Part Two that I would take a break, that I will go back in the woods and stay in the woods for a while to recover. But the woods weren’t really suiting me, and I would go back behind the camera faster than I think.
While fans might still have to wait for concrete start dates, it’s clear that Villeneuve is eager to return to the world of Dune sooner rather than later. Therefore, diehard fans can rest easy knowing that the story isn’t over. And with Villeneuve at the helm, the next chapter is bound to be something special.