Dune Director Making Major Change to Messiah Plans (And It’s Great News for Fans)

Dune and Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve explains why he no longer intends to take a break from the franchise before helming Dune: Messiah. During a Q&A session at the Saturn Awards (via Collider), the filmmaker discussed his plans for the upcoming adaptation and why things changed over the course of last year. “Chani’s heart is broken, and it’s the beginning of the Holy War and that’s where we left, so in a way, I’d say it’s quite similar,” Villeneuve said when asked about how much time has passed between Dune: Part Two and Messiah. “I was expecting to do something else before, but frankly, that’s the inspiration that came to my mind as I took a break this summer and was going back and finishing the story,” Villeneuve added.

Villeneuve also attributed the enthusiastic response to Dune: Part Two to fueling his interest in making Dune: Messiah as soon as possible. “I was really moved by the way Part Two was received by cinephiles around the world, and I felt an appetite and a desire to see more and a responsibility to finish that story,” he said.

Despite Dune: Part Two earning widespread acclaim and becoming a box office success, it wasn’t always a guarantee Villeneuve would return for another installment. Shortly after Dune: Part Two premiered, Villeneuve stated he felt it would be “healthy to step back a little bit” after spending six consecutive years in the Dune franchise. He also indicated he would only come back to make Messiah if he knew it would be “better than Part Two.” Still, in April 2024, it was reported Dune: Messiah was in early development, with Villeneuve writing the script.

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Prior to moving ahead on Dune: Messiah, Villeneuve became attached to direct Nuclear War: A Scenario. In June 2024, Warner Bros. staked claim to a December 2026 release date for a Villeneuve-helmed “event film.” At the time of that announcement, the project was left untitled, raising the question of what the filmmaker would do next.

Just last month, Villeneuve hinted that Dune: Messiah would be his next project, expressing an eagerness to return to the franchise. It’s an exciting prospect that there seemingly won’t be too long a wait until Messiah hits theaters. Dune: Part Two was one of the biggest hits of 2024, earning a Best Picture nomination and $714.6 million at the worldwide box office. The franchise has become one of this era’s defining blockbuster series, enthralling audiences with its grand spectacle and Villeneuve’s ambitious vision. Given how successful the first two films were, WB is most likely thrilled it gets to strike while the iron is hot by fast-tracking Dune: Messiah. It’s even better that this seems to stem from Villeneuve’s personal excitement rather than the studio forcing him to return; the filmmaker’s reverence for Frank Herbert’s Dune novels is a major reason why the movies have turned out so well.

While it isn’t official yet, it seems very likely Dune: Messiah will secure that aforementioned December 2026 date, putting it in position to have a fruitful box office run over the holiday season. If that’s the plan, it means Messiah will have to begin filming at some point this year. With Villeneuve quickly gearing up for another return trip to Arrakis, it’s probably only a matter of time before other Dune: Messiah details, such as casting announcements, are confirmed. And since the director has confirmed Messiah will be his final Dune film, maybe this time he’ll have better luck landing an elusive Oscar nomination.