Denis Villeneuve will only make next instalment of ‘Dune’ on one condition
Following the success of Dune: Part Two, director Denis Villeneuve has suggested that he will only make a third instalment of the series on one condition.
Dune: Part Two sees Timothée Chalamet return to his role as Paul Atreides, learning the ways of the Fremen and falling in love with Zendaya’s character, Chani. Stellan Skarsgård, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem also reprise their supporting roles from the first film, while new additions to the cast include Austin Butler and Florence Pugh.
The sci-fi sequel hit cinemas on March 1st and has enjoyed huge critical and commercial success since then. Now, Villeneuve has spoken out about the potential for a third entry into the Dune universe.
During a conversation with Empire, the filmmaker explained how he filmed the first two movies in quick succession. “I felt that it was a good idea to move forward right after Part One,” he explained, “We were already designing, writing et cetera.”
Though this decision served the films, Villeneuve thinks it will be healthy to “step back” after six years spent on Arrakis. He hopes to get a solid screenplay in place before they start work on another film, stating, “We need to make sure all the ideas on paper.”
Villeneuve also stated that he would only make another instalment of Dune if it promises to be even better than Part Two. “If we go back, it needs to be real,” he stated, “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 won’t do it.”
Given how much praise Dune: Part Two has already amassed, it seems that the scale and success of the film will be a hard one to top. The sequel has already taken home over $500million at the box office, winning over critics and audiences alike. It has been rightfully and widely praised for its impressive visual effects and immersive sound design, alongside stand-out performances from Butler and Chalamet.
It’s difficult to imagine any other filmmaker taking on the vastness of Frank Herbert’s world-building and doing Dune justice quite like Villeneuve. Between his stunning cinematography and ambitious visuals, he’s working on a completely different scale to his contemporaries, mastering the art of the blockbuster for a modern audience. If anyone can top Dune: Part Two, it’s Villeneuve.
Revisit the trailer for Dune: Part Two below.
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