Dune Director Explains the Only Reason He Would Make Messiah

The ending of Dune: Part Two understandably left the door open for a sequel to be developed, and director Denis Villeneuve has often expressed his interest in adapting the book Dune Messiah into a feature film, though he recently offered the condition that he would only make Messiah if it could be better than Part Two. Given that the filmmaker has spent the last six years adapting Frank Herbert's iconic novel, he also expressed that he would like to take some time away from Arrakis, so when, or if, Messiah moves forward is yet to be seen. Dune: Part Two is in theaters now.

"I did both movies back to back, which makes absolute sense for me," Villeneuve shared with Empire Magazine. "I felt that it was a good idea to move forward right after Part One. We were already designing, writing et cetera. But it also meant that for six years I was on Arrakis non-stop, and I think it will be healthy to step back a little bit. First, make sure that we have a strong screenplay. The thing I want to avoid is not having something ready. I never did it, and now I feel it could be dangerous because of the enthusiasm. We need to make sure all the ideas are on paper."

He continued, "If we go back, it needs to be real, it needs to be relevant, if ever I do Dune Messiah, [it's] because it's going to be better than Part Two. Otherwise, I don't do it."

Ahead of the release of the first Dune, Villeneuve made it clear that he was only adapting the first half of the novel, which is why some audiences felt the ending failed to offer a satisfying conclusion. Despite Part Two bringing the rest of Herbert's novel to life, both that novel and Villeneuve's adaptation only offers partial resolution to a storyline, which leaves fans waiting for more. With Dune: Part Two currently sitting at 93% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the bar has been set high for the franchise, leaving fans to wonder if Villeneuve could top his accomplishments with a Messiah adaptation.

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani 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 big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Léa Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel. 

Dune: Part Two is in theaters now.

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