Dune 3 Is Already In The Works
Denis Villeneuve wants to make a third Dune film, adapting the novel Messiah of Dune.
With the highly anticipated theatrical release of Dune: Part Two coming just around the corner this November, it’s been rumored that Denis Villeneuve will give the franchise a trilogy treatment with Dune 3, according to Collider. But we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves because the possibility of Dune 3 will hinge on the commercial success of Part Two. In an ideal world, however, Denis Villeneuve is ready to chomp at the bit as soon as he gets the green light from the studio, and given his passion for the Frank Herbert novels, it’s safe to say that it’s only a matter of time before Dune 3 goes into full development.
Dune 3 will continue the legendary saga that was set forth by Villeneuve’s mind-blowing film adaptations and will lean heavily into Herbert’s Dune Messiah novel as the primary source material for his third installment. This wouldn’t be the first time that Dune Messiah has been successfully adapted into live-action. Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune (written by John Harrison) aired as a three-part miniseries in 2003 on the Sci-Fi Channel utilizing the same source material, as well as Children of Dune, and is among the top three highest-rated programs to ever be broadcast on the channel.
Warner Bros. recently dropped the second official Dune: Part Two trailer, and fans are beyond excited about the epic war story that’s about to unfold. The prevailing sentiment among fans is that they’re glad this trailer reveals Paul Atreides’ darker side, which will manifest in the upcoming film as he becomes hellbent on exacting revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Piggybacking off the world-building that Villeneuve so expertly established in 2021’s Dune, we’re all but certain that Part Two will ultimately be successful enough to bring us to a satisfying conclusion with Dune 3.
Dune saw a total worldwide box office gross of $402 million off a budget of $165 million and won six Academy Awards. Given Villeneuve’s life-long passion for the works of Frank Herbert, we can only expect that he’ll continue to amaze us with his stunning cinematography as he pushes the franchise forward with Dune 3. Though it’s too early to tell, the trailers show us that Part Two will be bigger and better than its predecessor in its scope, action, and storytelling.
Should Dune 3 get past the development phases, we can use the source material to speculate where the story will go next. Herbert’s Dune Messiah takes place 12 years after Paul Atreides becomes Emperor and messiah to the Fremen. Paul will take on the burden of course-correcting humanity with his efforts, knowing that his visions will guide him in the right direction while ruling the Fremen empire.
Dune: Part Two will see its worldwide premiere on November 3, 2023, and will hopefully be the penultimate installment of the saga that Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts started in 2021. Given the anticipation that the upcoming film is boasting, there’s no doubt that it won’t be long before we see an official announcement for a Dune 3 film.
