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With 2021’sDuneand 2024’sDune: Part Two,Denis Villeneuvehas done what was once thought impossible. He has delivered a quality adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel that brings the best aspects of the story to life and builds upon Herbert’s ideas to present them in a more coherent cinematic fashion. With his two-part film adaptation ofDune, Villeneuve has delivered the first great sci-fi blockbuster event of the 2020s, and the great sandworm ride isn’t over yet.
Villeneuve has talked very openly abouthis intentions to continue withDune. Specifically, he wants to bring to life an adaptation of the second book in the series,1969’sDune Messiah, which was released four years after the original novel and continues to depict the rise and reign of Paul “Muad’Dib” Atreides as both the emperor of the universe and the prophesied savior of the Fremen on Arrakis.
However, despite Villeneuve’s eagerness regarding the story ofMessiah, he has not shown the same interest in the series’ third book,Children of Dune, which was published in 1976. Generally speaking, the further along theDunebooks go, the stranger and more outlandish they become. That trend really begins to show its head inChildren of Dune. With that in mind, here’s why we’re glad thatVilleneuve seemingly has no interest in returning to direct aChildren of Dunefilm.
Denis Villeneuve Wants a Dune Trilogy
Denis Villeneuve has not been shy about his intentions to make aDunetrilogy. When the first film was released in late 2021, a sequel that would finish the story of the firstDunebook had not even received the official green light yet. Despite no formal announcement ofDune: Part Twoat the time, Villeneuve was already discussing his hopes to make a third film that would adaptDune Messiah. Speaking toEntertainment Weekly, he said, “I always envisioned three movies. It’s not that I want to do a franchise, but this isDune, andDuneis a huge story. In order to honor it, I think you would need at least three movies. That would be the dream. To follow Paul Atreides and his full arc would be nice.”
While Villeneuve does say he would want “at least” three films, he has seemingly solidified his desire for exactly three films over the last few years. Just before the release ofDune: Part Two, Villeneuve amended his statement by saying, “Dune Messiahshould be the lastDunemovie for me.” The official confirmation of a thirdDunefilm came not long afterPart Two wasreleased, as the movie became the first major blockbuster hit of 2024 and the most financially successful film in Villeneuve’s catalog to date.
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There’s really no wonder why Villeneuve is so keen on directing just threeDunemovies. There is something so special and clean about a movie trilogy; there always has been. With iconic examples likeThe Godfather,The Lord of the Rings, the originalStar Warsfilms, and Christopher Nolan’sDark Knightmovies, the “trilogy” is perhaps the most tried and true format for franchise filmmaking in Hollywood’s history, despite the increasing number of franchises that aretrying and failing to growbeyond that confine.
While WB and Legendary Pictures are inevitably going to expandDunewithout Villeneuve – they are already doing so with theDune: Prophecyseries on Max – the detail of Villeneuve having directed only the first three films in the series allows for the director’sDunetrilogy to stand on its own, regardless of how the franchise is expanding after the fact.
Children of Dune Begins a New Story
Another important aspect ofChildren of Duneto consider is that it takes a very different approach to the narrative of its story than the first twoDunebooks. Primarily, this is because it begins a completely new era for theDuneseries. One of the most substantial ways it does this is by shifting who the main character of its story is, asthe mantle is passed down from Paul Atreides to his son, Leto II Atreides. While Leto II is one of the most interesting and wildly complex characters to be found in the entireDuneseries, his story is vastly separated from that of his father.
If Villeneuve were to continue theDunefranchise by adaptingChildren of Dune, it would feel anticlimactic to some degree. While there are undeniably storylines and ideas from the first twoDunebooks, especiallyMessiah, that carry over intoChildren of Dune, the book reads more as the beginning of a new story than the ending of another. Some fans of Herbert’s books don’t even believeChildren of Duneis worth reading unless you immediately follow it by diving straight into the fourth book, 1981’sGod Emperor of Dune.
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Because of this, Villeneuve’s return to direct a fourthDunefilm based onChildren of Dunewould almostnecessitate that he return once again to direct a fifth moviethat would also adaptGod Emperor of Dune. The director has already dedicated over six years to developing the first twoDunemovies, and he has expressed no small amount of exhaustion as a result. It seems likely that he’s even going tostep away to direct something elsebefore returning for his thirdDunemovie as a result of that exhaustion. If Villeneuve is already experiencing a degree of fatigue from making his first twoDunemovies, he should not be obligated to return for two or three more.
Leaving the Door Open for Other Filmmakers
While we don’t believe that Villeneuve should stick around to direct a version ofChildren of Duneafter he’s finished adaptingDune Messiah, that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to see Herbert’s third book adapted to film in some way. By exiting the series after his third film,Villeneuve would leave the door open for a new filmmakerto step in and continue to expand theDunefranchise more deeply into the story of Herbert’s later books. The transition of one story to another betweenDune MessiahandChildren of Duneonly adds to this potential, as the newgeneration of Atreidesalmost necessitates a different tone and directorial approach.
What we don’t want to see istheDunefranchise immediately devolvinginto generic blockbuster filmmaking after Villeneuve’s exit. If the franchise is going to continue, it needs to be in the hands of another auteur director who has both love and respect for the material and the necessary filmmaking talents to convincingly bring it to life on-screen. A few filmmakers that come to mind when considering this could be Brandon Cronenberg, Julia Ducournau, or Alex Garland. Though, admittedly, it is way too early to begin earnestly speculating about who could step in for Villeneuve after his thirdDunefilm. No matter who does, the most important thing is that they have the prowess and ambition needed to tackle a story of this scale, thematic depth, and abominable horror.TheDunefranchise is streaming onMax.
