There’s no denying that Dune is a huge story, so big in fact that even acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve needed a spice break. During an interview on the DGA’s podcast, The Director’s Cut, Villeneuve shared how exhausted he was after shooting Dune: Part One, and is happy he didn’t film the science fiction movie’s sequel, Dune: Part Two, straight away.
Adapted from Frank Herbert’s literary epic of the same name, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, whose family receives stewardship over the desert planet Arrakis. Dune: Part One builds up a detailed universe, is full of history, political tension, oh and giant sandworms too. In short, despite only covering the first half of Herbert’s novel, there is a lot to get through. Following the movie’s box-office success during its opening week and positive reviews, many fans have been itching for the sequel. Luckily, Dune: Part Two has officially been confirmed; the bad news is that we will have to wait a couple of years before we get to see it.
Speaking with fellow filmmaker Christopher Nolan, Villeneuve discussed the challenges of making Dune: Part One and how having to film a sequel straight away would have killed him. “I would have died,” the director said. “I’m so happy we didn’t, because I would have not had the stamina to do that… I’m grateful that it happened this way because shooting in the desert and its elements was very inspiring and exhilarating… but I was exhausted at the end of this shoot.”
Originally the director had proposed that Dune Part One and Two be shot back to back, similar to Peter Jackson’s schedule for the Lord of the Rings trilogy. So, it seems like he is now relieved that Warner Bros declined his offer. Recently the director also revealed that he has plans for Dune after the upcoming sequel.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director discussed how he wants to do a total of three films. “I always envisioned three movies,” Villeneuve explained. “It’s not that I want to do a franchise, but this is Dune, and Dune is a huge story.” Currently, it is unclear if Villeneuve will get his Dune trilogy. However, we can all rest easy knowing that at least Dune: Part Two is definitely on its way – even if it takes a while to get here.
Dune: Part Two is scheduled to release on October 10, 2023. While fans wait on updates, they can enjoy Dune: Part One, which is now in theatres and available on the streaming service HBO Max.