Whilst Denis Villenueve’s version of Dune is wow-ing audiences at festival’s talk is already turning to the proposed second part of the epic story. The director regards Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi as “more relevant today than it was when it was written.” The books themes address both consumerism, colonialism against a backdrop of of world of Arrakis through the eyes of young Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet).
With the film still awaiting release (both in theaters and streaming on HBO Max) and the studio eying its box office receipts a second and final film that completes the story is to be confirmed. Villenueve was content to take the risk of splitting the source material into two films.
“I wanted at the beginning to do the two parts simultaneously,” Villeneuve explained. “For several reasons, it didn’t happen, and I agreed to the challenge of making part one and then wait to see if the movie rings enough enthusiasm.” He added: “As I was doing the the first part, I really put all my passion into it, in case it would be the only one. But I’m optimistic.”
Villeneuve is already working on the second movie’s script and is set to produce a prequel ‘Dune : the Sisterhood’ which focuses on the Bene Gesserit. When asked if an earlier version of Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) could make an appearance on the show, the filmmaker was saying nothing. “It’s a beautiful project, but it’s in development,” he explained. “And when things are in development, I have a tendency, I want to protect them because it’s in a fragile state.”
“If such a thing as ‘Dune: Part Two’ happens, I will say that it’s going to be an insane playground for me,” Villeneuve says, because instead of having to explain the world of the film to the audience like he did in this movie, with the sequel, he “can just have fun with cinema. It’s going to be just like pure cinematic pleasure for the second part,” he continued. “I don’t want to speak for everybody on the team, but I will say that we really created on this movie a feeling of family and to re-unify everybody again together, that would be paradise.”
Dune opens Oct 22nd 2021
source: Variety
