Summary
- Rebecca Ferguson explains that there’s a lot of pressure on Denis Villeneuve for
Dune: Part Three
after
Part Two
‘s success. - In addition to the script having to be strong, none of the cast have deals in place to return for another sequel.
- Villeneuve already has another film lined up before
Dune: Part Three
, meaning it will likely be some time before he returns to the world of Arrakis.
Rebecca Ferguson, who plays Lady Jessica, outlines some of the problems that Dune: Part Three is facing. Based on the beloved novel by author Frank Herbert, Denis Villeneuve released his first Dune in 2021, introducing audiences to the story of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. The sequel, which hit theaters earlier this year, has been a massive hit, and Dune: Part Three was recently confirmed to be officially in the works at Legendary, with Villeneuve currently working on the script.
In a recent interview with The Playlist following the success of the most recent film, Ferguson comments on the status of Dune: Part Three and explains why the film is facing some new challenges. According to the actor, one key thing that has yet to be worked out involves the Dune: Part Two cast not yet having deals in place to return for a third film. Check out Ferguson’s full comment below:
To be honest, it’s completely out of my hands. [Villeneuve] has clearly made a spectacular world…And it is banking and people are loving it, and it has the most phenomenal cast in it. Of course, there would be a third one, but it’s a lot of pressure on Denis. It’s a lot of pressure to continue. And when do you make the creative decision? Do you go when it is at the best, or do you make one that could fail and not be as good?
It’s a really tricky conversation. It depends on the script; it depends on the money. It depends on all of the actors that have not got a deal for the third film. That’s a lot going on there. So there’s a lot to take into consideration before just writing a third script, you know?
Dune 3 May Not Arrive Anytime Soon
Why Audiences Should Expect A Long Wait After Dune: Part Two
Even before Dune: Part Two was released in theaters, Villeneuve was open about wanting to make a different film before committing to another challenging desert shoot for a third outing on Arrakis. With confirmation that Legendary is developing Dune: Part Three came the announcement that Villeneuve’s next movie will be an adaptation of Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War: A Scenario. This nonfiction book games out exactly what would happen if the world erupted into a nuclear-weapon-fueled conflict, making it quite a directorial undertaking.
Denis Villeneuve’s New Movie (Not Dune 3) Sets Up A Great Battle With Christopher Nolan
Director Denis Villeneuve’s new movie sets up an epic battle with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which collected $965 million at the box office.
With development work on Nuclear War: A Scenario still in the early stages, it will presumably be quite some time before that film is actually able to go to camera. There’s no release date planned for this film just yet, but 2026 seems like a safe bet. Even if Nuclear War: A Scenario somehow sneaks into theaters at the end of 2025, filming for Dune: Part Three won’t be happening anytime soon.
A third movie in Villeneuve’s franchise would adapt the events of Herbert’s
Dune: Messiah
.
In addition to Villeneuve’s schedule, there’s also the schedules of stars like Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh, among many others, to work around. The Dune: Part Two ending certainly sets up more story to come, but all three of these actors are now in-demand, global stars, and getting them all back together again could prove challenging. It remains to be seen when Dune: Part Three will actually end up releasing, but audiences are evidently in for quite a wait before a big-screen return to Arrakis.
Source: The Playlist
