Dune Director Says the Series Will Need “At Least” Two Movies to Tell the Story

Nearly every major movie studio hopes that they can deliver audiences multiple compelling installments and grow a franchise, which sometimes leaves an initial installment feeling more like a prologue for subsequent stories, but with the upcoming Dune from director Denis Villeneuve, the filmmaker notes that the source novel is so dense that there’s no way to do it justice in only one movie, teasing that the narrative could sprawl at least one more sequel. While an audience might be somewhat put off by the notion that the new film only tells part of the story, the staggering successes of IT and IT CHAPTER TWO would confirm that such a feat could be pulled off. The new Dune is set to hit theaters on December 18th.

“The story is so rich and complex that, in order to be faithful to the book, we’ll need to make at least two movies,” Villeneuve recently shared during a panel celebrating the trailer launch, per Variety. “That was a deal right at the start.”

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Fans shouldn’t be too worried about the new film potentially only telling a fraction of the story, as the film’s cinematographer Greig Fraser promised that the new film will offer audiences a complete adventure.

“It’s a fully formed story in itself with places to go. It’s a fully standalone epic film that people will get a lot out of when they see it,” Fraser shared with Collider earlier this year. “It was quite an adventure visually. It was a beautiful experience making it. The people involved with it, I was overwhelmed. Some of the actors, as well as being insanely talented actors, are just lovely, lovely people who I’ve become very close to since then.”

While audiences will understandably be apprehensive about only being told a partial story, the fact that 1984’s Dune from David Lynch, which attempted to capture as much of the source material as possible, only to become a critical and financial disappointment might actually make them relieved to know the upcoming film won’t make the same mistake and will instead find the right balance of building a world while offering a resolution.

The new Dune hits theaters on December 18th.

Are you looking forward to the new film? Let us know in the comments below!