Denis Villeneuve confirms that his next film will be Dune: Messiah
“I’m in the middle of writing,” he told Deadline.
Oscar season is already open for Denis Villeneuve. After passing through London, then Paris where he was decorated with the badges of Arts and Letters this week, the director is campaigning for his Dune: Part Tworeleased six months ago. And Deadline took the opportunity to ask him about the next steps in his career.
Confirming that his “break” was over, Villeneuve announced “get back behind the camera as soon as possible“to film the third scene in his saga adapted from Frank Herbert.”I’m in the middle of writing“, he added on Dune: Messiah taking care not to call him Dune 3.
“Dune: Part One and Part Two are a single entity for me. Like a two-part film that I brought to an end. But, yeah like Herbert with Dune: Messiah, I thought it would be a great idea to do something entirely different. The story takes place 12 years after the end of Part Two. Their story and their journey are different, as I always say: even if it is in the same world, the circumstances are different.“
Among the main characters we will find Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atréides; Zendaya in the role of the warrior Chani, or Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy.
The new movie “will complete the Paul Atreides arc“, he also confirms. And this adaptation will also mark the end of Villeneuve’s association with the Dune universe, although Frank Herbert had signed four other opuses after Dune: Messiahwhich we know contains a number of mystical-esoteric digressions, and Chalamet in an interview for Variety recently even declared that “the continuation of the saga after Dune: Messiah would be difficult to adapt“in view of all its supernatural elements.”What is certain is that we have not finished seeing the glasses of sand“, added the director.
“These films take an extremely long time, it is better not to advance the dates“, also explained the filmmaker while having his press officer in the viewfinder. “Unfortunately I’m not supposed to say too much“, he said laughing after whispering “2026” to the journalist of Deadline as the filming date for Dune 3. This summer, Warner Bros. had announced an event film by Denis Villeneuve for December 18, 2026, without specifying whether it was the next Dune.
“Let’s just say I was thinking of taking a break after Part Two, going back to the forest and staying there for a little while to recover. But it wasn’t really my thing, and I think I’ll get back behind the camera sooner than expected. That’s all I can say.“
Denis Villeneuve originally wanted to shoot another film before tackling Dune 3but the situation has changed. He should then tackle the adaptation of the novel Nuclear War: A Scenario.
After Dune 3, Denis Villeneuve will adapt a shocking book on nuclear war