Dunefilmmaker Denis Villeneuve explains whyDune: Messiahshouldn’t be considered part of a franchise trilogy. After closing the first part of Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet) journey withDune: Part Two, Villeneuve is currently hard at work developing thestory outline forDune: Messiah, which is based on the Frank Herbert book of the same name. The story is set twelve years after the events ofDuneand concludes Atreides' story within the Known Universe.
In an interview withVanity Fair, Villeneuve argues why his upcoming adaptation ofDune: Messiahwill not be part of a trilogy. Stating that the first twoDunefilms he helmed were part of a diptych, Villeneuve says thatthe third movie will have its own identity and contain a brand-new cinematic philosophy. Check out what he said on the matter below:
The thing is, first, it’s really important that people understand for me, it was really a diptych, it was two movies, a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. So that’s done, that’s finished. So, if I do a third one, which is in the writing process, I will say that, for me, it’s a different object. It’s not like a trilogy almost, it’s strange to say, but I really want to—if I go back there—to do something that feels different and has its own identity. Let’s say for me, ’Dune,’ in a way, is finished. And ‘Dune: Messiah’ will be something new that I will approach with its own different cinematic philosophy.
Villeneuve has also clarified that, whileDune: Messiahwill be his last foray into the franchise, it will contain “seeds” for apotentialDune 4should another filmmaker wish to continue the series.
Dune: Messiah May Be Denis Villeneuve’s Riskiest Film
Messiah Does Not Currently Have A Confirmed Release Date
Whilethe first twoDunemovies were both critical and commercial successes, Villeneuve may be taking the most significant risk of his career by adaptingDune: Messiahto the screen. The Oscar-nominated director has several other projects in the works before he may end up directing the third movie, including an adaptation ofRendezvous with RamaandCleopatra. However,Dune: Messiahcould very well prove to be his most polarizing movie, especially for those who have not read Herbert’s book.
At the end ofDune: Part Two, Paul declares himself as the Lisan al Gaib and challenges Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken) for the throne. He successfully kills Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler). He also asks for Princess Irulan’s (Florence Pugh) hand in marriage, to which she accepts after the Emperor surrenders.This prompts the beginning of a holy war that could prove cataclysmic for the Known Universe,leading Chani (Zendaya) to leave Paul for parts unknown.
TheDunefranchise will also continue on television, with the upcoming spinoffDune: Prophecy,based on Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’sSisterhood of Dune,set to release this November on HBO.
Dune: Messiahshowcases the impact of the holy war Atreides began, and the consequences that came from it. Villeneuve has stated that Paul Atreides' transformation tothe Lisan al Gaibis not supposed to be heroic, andhow he chooses to depict this could prove disconcertingfor viewers. He will also have to contend with a sizable time-jump, asMessiahtakes place twelve years after the first novel. This is assuming Villeneuve chooses to keep that element intact. After the first twoDunemovies, the director will have a host of new adaptational challenges to face forMessiah.
Source:Vanity Fair
Dune
Dune is a sci-fi franchise created by Frank Herbert with the 1965 novel of the same name. In 1984, the first live-action adaptation was released from director David Lynch and starring Kyle MacLachlan. About 20 years later, a TV mini-series was released, followed by a new adaptation starring Timothée Chalamet.
