The first of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films might be in theaters until late October, but there’s already talk about the sequel. And that’s because Villeneuve has always planned on adapting Frank Herbert’s expansive and beloved novel as a two-film series. But as it turns out, the sequel – or Dune: Part Two as Villeneuve refers to it – isn’t a certainty. Though, according to Villeneuve, he still remains hopeful.
The Road to Getting a Sequel
In an interview with Total Film, Villeneuve discussed the long-held belief that Dune was an unadaptable book and how that’s impacted his approach to the film, and the studio’s reaction to the film, saying:
“We have been hearing in the past few decades that it’s not possible to adapt this book, and that it’s an impossible task. I think that in the back of the mind of the studio, it’s still the same! So the first thing was to prove that there was a beautiful, popular movie that can exist, and I think that I proved that – everybody at Warner Bros and Legendary, they are 100 percent behind the project.
As for the reasons the Dune sequel might or might not happen, Villeneuve explained:
“They feel that it would need a really bad outcome at the box office to not have a Dune: Part Two, because they love the movie. They are proud of the movie, so they want the movie to move forward. And they still did half of it. So, you know, I’m very optimistic.”
The HBO Max Factor
Back in December, when WarnerMedia first announced their plan of sending every WB movie to HBO Max the day they arrive in theaters, Denis Villeneuve penned an article in Variety disavowing the plan. But in the subsequent months, tensions seem to have simmered some. According to Villeneuve’s interview with Total Film, though, he’d still prefer audiences saw the film in theaters. He elaborated, saying:
“First of all, the enemy of cinema is the pandemic. That’s the thing. We understand that the cinema industry is under tremendous pressure right now. That I get. The way it happened, I’m still not happy. Frankly, to watch Dune on a television, the best way I can compare it is to drive a speedboat in your bathtub. For me, it’s ridiculous. It’s a movie that has been made as a tribute to the big-screen experience.”
Villeneuve’s Progress on Dune: Part Two
Regardless of the uncertainty surrounding Dune: Part Two, Villeneuve is hard at work on the script, and he’s hopeful he’ll have a chance to film it. He said:
“I’m writing [Part Two] now, and I feel like I’m eight years old again. That’s very uncommon for me. It’s the first time I’ve experienced it where I’m watching one of my movies, and I have a moment of deep gratitude, of deep joy, and I say, ‘Thank you, life, for having allowed me to bring that to the screen.’ I don’t know how other people will feel about it. But me? Denis Villeneuve when he was 14 years old? Thank you.”
Are you planning on seeing Dune when it opens on October 22, 2021?
Source: GamesRadar+/Total Film
Part-time writer, part-time theatre nerd, full-time dork.
