Denis Villeneuve Reveals ‘Dune: Messiah’ Update: 'It's Not a Trilogy'

The third film in what has become one of sci-fi’s most iconic franchises has just received a significant update from its director. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Denis Villeneuve, who helmed ‘Dune’ and ‘Dune: Part Two’, shared his thoughts on ‘Dune: Messiah’, discussing its role within the series and its unique position.

Following the success of ‘Dune: Part Two’, which has grossed $711 million worldwide, Villeneuve is now focused on adapting ‘Dune: Messiah’. He clarified that while the first two films together form a complete adaptation of Frank Herbert’s original ‘Dune’ novel, ‘Dune: Messiah’ will not be part of a trilogy. Instead, Villeneuve described it as a standalone film with its own distinct identity, separate from the earlier two-part adaptation.

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This may seem surprising, but it’s essential to note that Herbert wrote six ‘Dune’ books before his death in 1986. The first two films adapt only the first book, while ‘Dune: Messiah’ is the second book in the series. Villeneuve’s approach means that while *Dune: Messiah* will conclude his specific vision of the story, it doesn’t represent a trilogy but rather a unique endpoint for his adaptation.

Villeneuve also hinted that while he is not planning to continue with further ‘Dune’ projects after ‘Dune: Messiah’, he aims to leave room for future storytellers. He expressed his intention to embed elements in ‘Messiah’ that could serve as a foundation for potential future adaptations, acknowledging that the later ‘Dune’ books are more challenging and esoteric.

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As ‘Dune: Messiah’ progresses in development, no official release date has been set yet. Meanwhile, ‘Dune: Part Two’ is currently available for streaming on Max.

–Farheen Ali