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[ManaByte]

Why stop at 2 'Dune' movies? Denis Villeneuve wants to make 'at least 3'

After 'Dune: Part Two,' director Denis Villeneuve wants to tackle Frank Herbert's 'Dune Messiah' as well.

ew.com

The new Dune film covers the first half of Herbert's original novel, and Dune: Part Two will tackle the rest. But Villeneuve believes that adapting Dune Messiah on top of that is important to conveying the full saga of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet).

"I always envisioned three movies," Villeneuve says. "It's not that I want to do a franchise, but this is Dune, and Dune is a huge story. In order to honor it, I think you would need at least three movies. That would be the dream. To follow Paul Atreides and his full arc would be nice."

As Herbert readers know, the world of Dune gets stranger with every book. By the end of Children of Dune, one character has begun to transform themself into a human-sandworm hybrid that becomes the title character of God Emperor of Dune. Adapting that transformation might be too much even for Villeneuve, but he's definitely interested in Dune Messiah.

"Herbert wrote six books, and the more he was writing, the more it was getting psychedelic," Villeneuve says. "So I don't know how some of them could be adapted. One thing at a time. If I ever have the chance to do Dune: Part Two and Dune Messiah, I'm blessed."

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Make it so.

 

[mortal]

If all goes well, we might get to Dune Messiah. That would be pretty cool.

 

[Fbh]

Would be nice.
If he really wants to tell the entire story of Paul he'd definitely have to adapt Dune Messiah too

 

[LiquidMetal14]

Being on the Dune Universe Collection ™

 

[Badlucktroll]

If all goes well, we might get to Dune Messiah. That would be pretty cool.

We will.

 

[mortal]

We will.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Chapterhouse would be impossible to make.

 

[Badlucktroll]

Chapterhouse would be impossible to make.

He will probably stop at Children of Dune. I didn't think that syfy version of it was that good.

 

[IntentionalPun]

Pretty sure it'll happen. There's little reason to think Dune Deuce won't do well at this point.

Only issue I could see would be they didn't negotiate contracts ahead of time and who knows where Zendaya and Chalamet's careers will be, what they might demand, what other projects they might be tied up in, etc.

They should greenlight messiah now for that reason.

 

[dorkimoe]

Just film the next to back 2 back please to prevent any delays

 

[jason10mm]

They should just recast Zendaya now before she says a second line. They could get Zoe Saldana or that Smollette chick in there and I doubt anyone would notice.

 

[BaneIsPain]

There goes my hope for God Emperor of Dune.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

He is my favorite director working today. But I kind of eyeroll at his "it's not that I want to do a franchise..." comment when also considering the comments he keeps making about Marvel. There is some truth to it, but give it a rest. No one is accusing him of selling out just because he makes a trilogy.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

I want him to direct the adaptation of all the books

 

[Tschumi]

Spoiler: no, legit this is a spoiler

nuke dat border wall

 

[Kenpachii]

Ofcourse he will, after watching the movie its basically a series.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Make it so.

Filming Messiah makes sense, but oh boy - people will not like the ending on that one.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

Chapterhouse would be impossible to make.

Same with Heretics. Basically the last remnants of action died with God Emperor. Afterwards it’s full on politics.

 

[ZehDon]

That would be pretty much my ideal vision of Dune on film: a trilogy concluding with Dune Messiah. After that, I honestly think longer TV Shows would be a better format, simply for the density of what follows.

 

[TrueLegend]

Give him whatever the fuck he wants.

 

[RJMacready73]

Pretty sure it'll happen. There's little reason to think Dune Deuce won't do well at this point.

Only issue I could see would be they didn't negotiate contracts ahead of time and who knows where Zendaya and Chalamet's careers will be, what they might demand, what other projects they might be tied up in, etc.

They should greenlight messiah now for that reason.

Don't studios normally sign up the actors to a 3 picture deal as a matter of course encase the original movie makes a ton of money, for Dune they'd all be signed for at least a 2 movie deal

 

[trikster40]

 

[Halo is Back]

 

[SpiceRacz]

I'd prefer he finished part 2 and moved on to something else.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

I'm so excited for the 4k release. My favorite part of a movie's release is when it hits home video.

 

[Insane Metal]

Well the experience with the first movie was so incredible that I'm in. Just do it Villeneuve.

 

[ResilientBanana]

He is my favorite director working today. But I kind of eyeroll at his "it's not that I want to do a franchise..." comment when also considering the comments he keeps making about Marvel. There is some truth to it, but give it a rest. No one is accusing him of selling out just because he makes a trilogy.

Just with the cinematography alone, it looks like a passion project.

 

[V1LÆM]

it would suck if he was held up on these movies. of course if he can do it and if that's what he wants the great. all the best to him. i just think he should go onto other movies.

 

[JordoftheDead]

Yes please.

A trilogy by Villeneuve culminating in Dune Messiah? Chefs kiss

 

[IntentionalPun]

Don't studios normally sign up the actors to a 3 picture deal as a matter of course encase the original movie makes a ton of money, for Dune they'd all be signed for at least a 2 movie deal

Well when there is an actual plan for said sequels, sure. But that involves contractually obligating people's time.. I kinda doubt they did that for Dune.

 

[Yoda]

hopefully he can film the next two back to back.

 

[Melon Husk]

But he already made 1½.

 

[RJMacready73]

Well when there is an actual plan for said sequels, sure. But that involves contractually obligating people's time.. I kinda doubt they did that for Dune.

Like I said it's standard practice and Dune was always meant to be a 2 partner with the sequel dependent on box office so naturally the entire cast would've been signed up for 2 flicks at the very least

 

[AJUMP23]

Film the next two back to back.

 

[ZehDon]

Well when there is an actual plan for said sequels, sure. But that involves contractually obligating people's time.. I kinda doubt they did that for Dune.

I believe that's common practice in Hollywood, especially these days. Warner Brothers and Legendary are clearly hoping for Dune to be a franchise, so I'd wager they signed the actors up for as many films as their agents allowed for.

Spoiler: Dune universe spoilers

With the exception of Jason Mamoa's Duncan Idaho, most the characters are only around for one or two books anyway, so it's not much of a stretch to think they inked deals for as many films.