Denis Villeneuve Drops First Major Dune 3 Details, Including Production Timeline
It seems Denis Villeneuve is ready to get sand-traumatized again. With awards season bearing down upon us, there's a strong chance the filmmaker will be spending the next several months gathering accolades left and right for "Dune: Part Two." Despite releasing in the first quarter of the year, Villeneuve's "Dune" sequel remains one of the most critically-acclaimed films of 2024 and is practically assured to be in the running for several Oscar categories at the 2025 Academy Awards ceremony. Not that Villeneuve is waiting around; he's currently got several irons in the fire, including a movie adaptation of author Annie Jacobsen's nonfiction book "Nuclear War: A Scenario" (via The Hollywood Reporter) and, oh right, "Dune 3."
The filmmaker's third trip to Arrakis is expected to adapt the second entry in Frank Herbert's original "Dune" novel sextet, 1969's "Dune Messiah," and only "Messiah" (as opposed to the 2003 miniseries "Frank Herbert's Children of Dune," which combined the events of "Messiah" with those from the third book in Herbert's saga, 1976's "Children of Dune"). While it shouldn't be quite as monumental an undertaking as that time Villeneuve adapted the first "Dune" novel into a two-part, five-hour, multi-million-dollar epic, "Dune 3" will undoubtedly be plenty challenging in its own right. Be that as it may, Villeneuve appears eager to get back behind the camera after taking a moment to catch his breath.
Speaking with Deadline, Villeneuve confirmed his "break" is over, stating that he will "go back behind the camera faster than I think" to shoot what is merely being referred to as "Dune 3" until further notice. "I'm in the writing zone right now," he added, although he later had a bit of a foot-in-mouth moment when the interview turned to the film's tentative production timeline ... and by that I mean I'm pretty certain his publicist is secretly a member of the Bene Gesserit who subtly used the Voice on him at that stage.
What to expect from Dune 3 (and when)
As "Dune" enthusiasts — Dunies? Spice heads? — could tell you, the longer Villeneuve waits to adapt "Dune Messiah" the better, at least from a story perspective. (Warner Bros., on the other hand, may feel otherwise.) And while it's far from the weirdest "Dune" book by a wide margin, an honor that instead goes to Herbert's fourth novel in the series, 1981's "God Emperor of Dune," it's still a very different beast from either Herbert's original "Dune" book or Villeneuve's previous adaptations. Here's how the filmmaker described it to Deadline:
"[Like] Herbert did with 'Dune: Messiah,' I think it'll be a great idea to do something completely different. The story takes place like 12 years after where we left the characters at the end of 'Part Two.' Their journey, their story is different this time, and that's why I always say that while it's the same world it's a new film with new circumstances."
Noting that "Dune 3" will "will finish the Paul Atreides arc," Villeneuve affirmed that Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya will once again lead the way as Paul and his would-be love interest, the Fremen warrior Chani, with "Part Two" newcomers Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy also coming back as Princess Irulan and Paul's sister Alia (although Alia's role is a bit of a question mark, given the ways "Dune: Part Two" changed her plotline from the source material). "They have to return. They are with the main cast when it happens. And more worms. What can I say?" Villeneuve shrugged. Too true, one cannot make a "Dune" film without sandworms!
Finally, Villeneuve stated "Dune 3" could begin production by 2026, at which point Deadline implied his publicist went full Lady Jessica on him. "These movies take a lot of time to be made, so it's best not to say out loud when I might shoot. Unfortunately, I'm supposed to shut up," he laughed. Indeed, with WB having already staked out a theatrical release date for VIlleneuve's next "event film" on December 18, 2026, there's clearly a lot up in the air right now. Will the filmmaker slip his "Nuclear War" movie in before returning to the "Dune" universe? One suspects his studio bosses are actively doing some Bene Gesserit-style scheming of their own behind closed doors.