Summary
TheDunefranchise has seen a lot of success in a theatrical environment that has shown massive volatility in recent years, and the man behind the miraculously profitable adaptation has come forward to explain why and when anotherDuneentry is happening.
Dunehas been a science fiction mainstay since the first book in the franchise was written and published by Frank Herbert in 1965, and has since managed to stack upa plethora of failedDuneadaptations over the following decades. This rotten streak finally came to an end in 2021 with the release ofDune,a partial adaptation of Herbert’s first book envisioned and executed by filmmaker Dennis Villeneuve to massive success and critical acclaim. The story of the first novel would be rounded out shortly with the subsequent release ofDune: Part Twoin 2024, again achieving great success and acclaim, with the force of a second bolt of lighting falling in a bottle.
With so much more source material in the books by Herbert and a spin-off show at HBO for Max, it was only a matter of time before Villeneuve signed up for another go at the IP and offeredDunefans a substantiating update on a third mainline installment, and now he’s closing in on the project “will finish the Paul Atreides arc.” In his recent discussion withDeadline, the filmmaker discussed how this third project would be a departure from the first two. “Like Herbert did with Dune: Messiah, I think it’ll be a great idea to do something completely different,” Villeneuve revealed. “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.”
While there was very little discourse aboutwhether or not Denis Villeneuve should adapt more of theDunesagafollowing the success of his first two films, there was some expectation that there would be more of a break for the filmmaker after bringing the two-part story of the first Dune book to a conclusion in a satisfying manner. However, it seems that there was just too much to do for him to stay away by his own admission. “Let’s say,” Villeneuve posits, “that I thought that after Part Two that I will 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. But that’s all I can say.”
The interview, which also included the filmmaker’s promise that stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy would all still be present inDune: Messiah,should excite fans of the films, but also fans of the wider franchise. In addition to more attention and adaptation of interesting storylines, the move could be great for longevity. It’s been easy to observe thatstudios have revived an old TV strategythat weakens an IP with far less compelling content for the small screen when no big-budget films are being made, and even theDunefranchise hasn’t walked away unscathed. The promise of at least one more big budget, mainline film in the franchise will keep it from languishing on streaming like some other franchises have done over the last few years. After decades of a distinct failure to launch, it seems pertinent that the franchise remain special and theatrical for a long while to come.
If it’s handled properly, then Villeneuve’sDune 3could even fix the usual problem with trilogiesand cement the Dune franchise’s legacy with a third win at the box office and in the cultural zeitgeist. A massive time skip and the promise of an entirely new adventure might not be the best strategy for retaining the audience that made the first two films a massive hit, but that decision is in keeping with the source material and will certainly be popular with hardcoreDunefans, if no one else.
Dune and Dune: Part Twois currently available to stream on Max.
Dune
Dune is a science fiction series written by author Frank Herbet. Set in the far future, it follows the story of character Paul Atreides living in a socially oppressive galactic society. The Atreides family acquires management of the planet Arrakis, which has the melange, a drug that enhances human life. Dune’s full story is told over its many different sequels.
