One of the first major blockbusters to be released in 2024, the upcoming “Dune: Part Two” will conclude Denis Villeneuve‘s sprawling adaptation of Frank Herbert’s original “Dune” novel. But it might not be the last we see of the planet Arrakis.
Villeneuve and his collaborators have long been open about their desire to make more films based on the many sequels that Herbert wrote. Villeneuve has cited the second novel, “Dune Messiah,” which takes Paul Atreides in a darker direction as he accumulates intergalactic power, as his preferred starting point for a third film in his trilogy.
“If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream,” Villeneuve said in a 2023 interview. “’Dune Messiah’ was written in reaction to the fact that people perceived Paul Atreides as a hero. Which is not what he wanted to do. My adaptation is closer to his idea that it’s actually a warning.”
While a “Dune Messiah” movie would once again be centered around Timothée Chalamet’s version of Paul Atreides, Zendaya‘s Fremen princess Chani would also be a key player. Fortunately, it sounds like the “Euphoria” star is eager for a third trip into the “Dune” universe. In a new interview with Fandango, Zendaya said that she would be eager to reprise her role as Chani in a hypothetical “Dune Messiah” movie if Villeneuve returns to direct it.
“Would we be down? I mean of course,” Zendaya said. “Anytime Denis calls it’s a yes from me, at least. I’m excited to see what happens. I started ‘Messiah’ and I was like, ‘Woah, I’m only shooting the first movie. Let me just go back to the first one.’ It’s so much to take in, and I think there’s no better hands with better care and love for it than him.”
But no matter how successful “Dune: Part Two” ends up being, it could be a while before a third film materializes. Villeneuve recently revealed that he needs a creative break from the franchise and work on an unrelated film before returning to complete his trilogy.
“I don’t know exactly when I will go back to Arrakis,” he said at a recent press conference in South Korea. “I might make a detour before just to go away from the sun. For my mental sanity, I might do something in between, but my dream would be to go a last time on this planet that I love.”
