Dune: Part Three is officially moving ahead with director Denis Villeneuve, Variety has confirmed.
Part One and Two split Frank Herbert’s supposedly “unfilmable” novel into two separate movies, while the third in the trilogy will reportedly be based on the author’s significantly slimmer follow-up, Dune Messiah.
While plot details have not yet been confirmed, the film is expected to continue the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he grapples with the dark consequences of his role as Freeman messiah.
Legendary is yet to announce a timeline for when production on Dune: Part Three might begin, but the studio intends for the movie to debut before its next project with the director – an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen’s 2024 Pulitzer Prize-nominated book.
In March, Villeneuve said it would be “healthy” to take a minor step back from the sci-fi franchise, having filmed Part One and Part Two back-to-back. However, he was always expected to return for Part Three.
“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,” he told Empire Magazine at the time.
Villeneuve went on to say that he would only make Part Three if it’s “better” than Part Two. “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.”
He added: “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.”
Dune: Part Two was released in cinemas last month and received widespread acclaim from critics. It is also the highest-grossing film of 2024 so far, amassing over $631m at the global box office.
In a four-star review, NME wrote: “As with the first movie, Part Two proves a pulse-poundingly immersive experience, courtesy of cinematographer Greig Fraser’s stunning visuals, production designer Patrice Vermette’s wildly imaginative sets and some inspired sound design work. This is particularly evident during the film’s exciting central set piece, when Paul has to prove himself by riding a giant sandworm, a punch-the-air moment that was teased in the first part and pays off wonderfully here.”