Denis Villeneuve, the visionary director behind the 2021 blockbusterDune: Part One, recently shared insights into the upcomingDune: Part Two,and his future plans for the franchise. The success of the first film has sparked curiosity about Villeneuve’s return to Frank Herbert’s universe, with many wondering when the filmmaker will embark onDune: Messiah.
“I just want to make sure that if we do ‘Dune: Messiah,’ we have the best screenplay on the table.”
Having spent over six years in theDuneuniverse, Villeneuve expressed his appreciation forcollaborating with elite talents on this acclaimed series. However, he admitted needing a brief respite before diving into the next installment perCollider. Last summer, it was announced that Villeneuve aims to complete a trilogy withDune: Messiah, but he emphasized the importance of taking time to perfect the screenplay. Villeneuve stated:
“And for that, I want to take the time to do it. And I think it would be healthy that I don’t go back necessarily in the desert right away, that I make a little detour, maybe. But honestly, I don’t know what my future is right now, which I love because I worked the past six years nonstop. It’s a blessing, but I need that. It would be nice to make sure that if we do Dune: Messiah , I want to make the best movie ever, so I want to just take my time.”
Dune: The 11 Biggest Differences and Changes Between the Book and Denis Villeneuve’s First Movie
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One was a stellar adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel, but that doesn’t mean that it was word-for-word.
Despite previous comments suggesting the script forDune: Messiahwas nearly complete, Villeneuve reassured fans by confirming, “We are working on it right now.”
Villeneuve’s Vision for Dune: Part Two and the Cinematic Challenge of Paul’s Sandworm Ride
Villeneuve pointed out the challengesfaced during theDune: Part Twoproduction, noting that every day presented a new hurdle, whether it was related to the set or the acting. One scene that stood out as particularly crucial for him to get right was Paul’s iconic ride on the sandworm.
“It was a journey. It’s still one of my favorite scenes. It was one of my most important. If you said to me, “Which scene would you have done if there was no movie?” I would have done that scene. It’s such a cinematic idea.”
The director elaborated on the rigorous planning and technical challenges required to bring this scene to life, highlighting his aim for it to seem as authentic and perilous as possible.
“On the page as you read, it’s “Paul rides the worm,” and you’re like, “Okay.” There’s not really a description in the book of how Paul can get onto a worm, so I had to figure out, to invent, to create the technique that the Freman used to get onto a worm. I remember drawings to explain to my crew the strategy of the Fremen and the technique and how to get onto a worm, to ride a worm. Once I did that, I had also all done the storyboards to tell the story, of course, and then I explained to them how technically we will achieve that.”
Dune: Part Twois set to premiere on July 11, 2025.
Villeneuve’s commitment to the franchise and his focus on delivering a visually breathtaking and emotionally engaging sequel are clear. Fans can look forward to experiencing the continuation of Paul Atreides' adventure and the further expansion of theDuneuniverse under Villeneuve’s skilled direction.
