Denis Villeneuve teases new updates on 'Dune Messiah'
All signs point to the third "Dune" film being Villeneuve's next project
I talked in last week’s edition of The Rewind about Denis Villeneuve doing the rounds this award season for “Dune: Part Two.” While the focus has largely been on this project, it was a matter of time before folks tried to squeeze out some details about a third “Dune” film, and Deadline Hollywood’s Baz Bamigboye delivered.
While Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment have planted a tentpole on Dec. 18, 2026 for the filmmaker’s return to the big screen, it’s remained ambiguous as to what exactly that project is supposed to be. Villeneuve clarified to Vanity Fair recently that he’s actively developing three features: an adaptation of “Dune Messiah,” an adaptation of “Rendezvous with Rama,” and a Cleopatra biopic.
Shedding light on where things stand in the creative process, Villeneuve had this to say: “Let’s say 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.”
Villeneuve remained understandably coy on specifics of the production, refraining from naming a shooting timeframe or a release date, but he did confirm a couple key points. Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya will return as the leads, as expected, and Florence Pugh and Anya Taylor-Joy will round out the core cast of the film.
Finally, Villeneuve emphasized the point that this is a new story, based on a different book, and that fans should expect a very different film as a result.
“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.”
As much as we’re all looking forward to the conclusion of Villeneuve’s cinematic “Dune” saga, I hope he enjoys his victory lap for delivering a box office smash and all-time great sequel with “Part Two,” including the widespread awards recognition that is surely on the way.