Dune helmer Denis Villeneuve has revealed that he has started working on the script of Dune 3. The director may adapt Frank Herbert’s second Dune novel, Dune Messiah (1969), for the third entry. Dune 3’s storyline will serve as a continuation of Dune: Part Two, which will arrive in theatres worldwide on March 1, 2024.
In a recent interview with Cine 21, Denis Villeneuve, spoke in detail about his desire to develop Dune 3 after Part Two. He has already started working on a script for the third part, which will honour Herbert’s vision. This is what he said:
“I’m working on four different screenplays — I know that Dune Messiah will be one of them, I don’t know if it will be the next or the second next. My job was to try to keep the spirit of Frank Herbert alive as much as possible — the whole meaning of Dune becomes clear with Dune Messiah.”
Dune: Part Two will cover the second half of Frank Herbert’s first Dune novel (1965). If Denis Villeneuve stays true to Herbert’s vision, then the upcoming flick will end with Paul taking the throne from Emperor Shaddam IV and accepting the latter’s proposal to marry his daughter, Princess Irulan. As Paul gains control of the Empire, he realises that Fremen’s belief in him is way too strong to be curbed, paving the way for the Fremen’s jihad.
Villeneuve has to be careful while adapting Dune Messiah, as the second Herbert novel is darker, more complicated, and more controversial than the first one. Some stories from Dune Messiah may not sit well with audiences while watching Dune 3. For instance, Paul becomes the reason behind a worldwide jihad that takes the lives of more than 60 billion people across the galaxy. This results from Fremen’s anger, which grows after their traditional way of life gets disrupted due to an increase in spice production and terraforming activities. Despite his prescient visions and political acumen, he feels helpless to stop the jihad.
Another disturbing plot from Dune Messiah is the complicated relationship between Paul and Princess Irulan. Despite marrying her, Paul refuses to father a child with Irulan as he loves Chani deeply. To protect the Bene Gesserit breeding program and preserve her place in the Atreides dynasty, Irulan starts secretly feeding contraceptives to Chani. Despite knowing all about this scenario because of his powers, Paul decides not to do anything. He does this as his powers also reveal that Chani will die in childbirth, and he does not want to lose her at any cost.
Dune: Part Two will come out in theatres worldwide on March 1, 2024. Stay tuned for more updates.
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