Denis Villeneuve teases Dune trilogy, says “words are on paper”

With Dune: Part Two now pushed back to March 2024, it almost inadvertently suggests a wider timeline for Denis Villeneuve’s works. And so it may be that the world of Dune will indeed be expanding, with the director saying pen has already been put to paper on a third installment.

Speaking with Empire for a new cover story, Denis Villeneuve said, “I will say, there are words on paper” to complete the trilogy. Villeneuve has teased the project before, with the goal to adapt the second book in Frank Herbert’s Dune series, “Dune Messiah”. “If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream…‘Dune Messiah’ was written in reaction to the fact that people perceived Paul Atreides as a hero…Which is not what he wanted to do. My adaptation [of Dune] is closer to his idea that it’s actually a warning.” Of course, with the WGA strike raging, any progress on the Dune Messiah script will had to have paused.

As reported earlier this summer, buzz has surrounded Timothée Chalamet signing on for a third Dune. While this has yet to be confirmed, if Dune: Part Two can be as big of a hit for Warner Bros. as the 2021 film – which had a worldwide haul of $400+ million and was one of the most-streamed movies of the year– then it’s almost certain that Denis Villeneuve will see his trilogy dreams come to fruition.

Dune: Part Two could have proven to be a big winner at next year’s Academy Awards, as Denis Villeneuve’s first took home the most gold of the night, winning six awards including Best Original Score, Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. Originally set for a November 3rd release, the film will now arrive on March 15th, 2024.

Dune: Part Two is set to “explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.”

Would you like to see Denis Villeneuve complete his Dune trilogy or could this end up being too much of a good thing? Give us your take below!