The story of Paul Atreides looks like it’s set to continue. Denis Villeneuve is working on adapting ‘Dune Messiah,’ the next book in Frank Herbert’s famous series.
Even though Warner Bros. hasn’t officially said yes to ‘Dune Messiah,’ Villeneuve is moving ahead with the script. He’s shared a bit about how this work is going in a chat with Den of Geek, mentioning that it’s still in the early stages:
“I think you cannot avoid Paul’s terrible purpose, that’s the structure of this whole enterprise. Saying this, I do not like to comment on ‘Dune Messiah’ because I’m writing it, and when I’m writing, I love to shut up because it’s a very delicate time where things are fragile, ideas evolve. I like to talk about movies when they are alive, finished, and strong enough to walk by themselves. ‘Dune Messiah’ is barely an embryo.”
When Will The Third Film Possibly Come Out?
The newest ‘Dune’ film hit theaters on March 1 and quickly made about $81 million in its first weekend in the U.S. alone.
Villeneuve has said he’s working on several scripts, suggesting that ‘Dune Messiah’ might not be the very next thing he does. Yet, the success of ‘Dune: Part Two’ might change what comes next, especially if Warner Bros. decides to push forward with ‘Dune 3’ sooner than later.
Depending on the Studio and the director’s decision, the next film might see its release around 2027–2030.
The Franchise’s Production Company Is Up For A Third Film
The Legendary Entertainment CEO, Josh Grode, also made some promising remarks about the franchise in a recent interview with CNBC, saying:
“I think everybody is very excited and really enjoying this moment and if Denis [Villeneuve] gets the script right and he feels that he can deliver another experience on par with what we’ve just completed then I don’t see why not.”
‘Dune: Part Two’ is currently in theaters, starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Christopher Walken, Florence Pugh, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Taylor-Joy’s appearance in the film was confirmed at the film’s London premiere.
