Photo: Jeff Spicer/Jeff Spicer/Getty
Is there even moreDuneon the horizon?
According to the first two films' directorDenisVilleneuve, wheels are turning for a third installment in the epic sci-fi franchise, based on the 1965 novel of the same name and starring, among others,Timothée ChalametandZendayain lead roles.
“I will say, there are words on paper,” Villeneuve — who also co-wrote the screenplays for 2021’sDuneand the upcomingDune: Part Two—teased of a third movie in an interview withEmpirepublished Sunday.
The filmmaker, 55, also said, “If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream.”
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Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya inDune: Part Two(2024).Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.
Niko Tavernise/Warner Bros.
“Which is not what [author Frank Herbert] wanted to do. My adaptation is closer to his idea that it’s actually a warning," the director added.
Villeneuve also noted that, if a third film came to fruition, it would be his last in the franchise, as followingDune Messiah, “the books become more … esoteric.”
Dune: Part Twopicks up where the first movie left off, with an official synopsis stating that it “will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides [Chalamet] as he unites with Chani [Zendaya, 26] and the Fremen while on a warpath 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,” the synopsis adds.
Aside from Chalamet and Zendaya,Dune: Part Twowill also include returning cast membersRebecca Ferguson,Dave Bautista,Javier Bardem,Josh Brolin,Stellan SkarsgårdandCharlotte Rampling.
New additions to the cast includeFlorence Pugh,Austin Butler,Léa Seydoux,Christopher WalkenandTim Blake Nelson.
Asequel for the original film was announcedjust days after its premiere on Oct. 22, 2021. The follow-up wasoriginally slated to premiere in theaterson Nov. 3, 2023, close to a year after filming wrapped in December 2022.
But PEOPLE confirmed on Thursday thatDune: Part Twohas been delayed to March 15, 2024, amid the ongoing Hollywood strikes.
Other delayed Warner Bros. films amid the strikes includeGodzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which was set to be released on March 15, 2024, but has been moved to April 12, 2024.Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrimis now slated for a Dec. 13, 2024, release after previously being set to premiere on April 12, 2024. MGM also pushed the Zendaya-led filmChallengersfrom Sept. 15 to April 26 of next year.
source: people.com
