Dune 3 Should Be Last Dune Movie For Me, Says Denis Villeneuve About Zendaya Starrer

Dune 3 is yet to be officially greenlit by Warner Bros and should the studio go ahead with the film, director Denis Villeneuve says it would be his last movie in the franchise based on Frank Herbert’s books. The filmmaker’s comments come ahead of the release of Dune 2 in March.

Denis Villeneuve on the future of Dune

Herbert wrote four more Dune novels, but Villeneuve said he would like to take up other stories after a third film — titled Dune Messiah — in the series. “Dune Messiah should be the last Dune movie for me,” he told Time magazine in an interview.

Last August, Villeneuve said it would be “a dream” come true if he succeeds in making a Dune trilogy. While adapting Herbert’s books, the director said he wanted to stay as true as possible to the author’s vision. “I was trying to be, as a filmmaker, as invisible as possible. I tried my best to keep the poetry of the book, the atmosphere, the colours, the smell, everything that I felt when I read the book. I tried,” said Villeneuve, known for Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049.

Going forward, the filmmaker wants to make an adaptation of Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatra and a version of Arthur C Clarke’s futuristic classic Rendezvous With Rama.

Dune: Prophecy sets fall premiere date

HBO and MAX's 2024 content slate presentation, Chairman Casey Bloys announced that the Dune prequel series will be making its debut on MAX' streaming platform. The date for this is set for Fall 2024. Bloys also announced that the series is currently in production in Hungary and will soon be wrapping up filming. The series was initially titled Dune: The Sisterhood.

Anna Foerester stepped in halfway through production to direct multiple episodes including the premiere - initially set to be helmed by Jonah Reck. Names for the directors of other episodes are yet to be revealed. The Ben Gesserit order founders - the Harkonnen sisters - will be essayed by Emily Watson and Olivia Williams.

(with inputs from PTI)