(Left-right:) Florence Pugh; Timothée Chalamet; Zendaya in “Dune: Part Two”.Photo:Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Spoiler alert: The following contains major plot details forDune: Part Two, out now.
At the end of the 2021Timothée ChalametmovieDune, audiences were left wondering if a sequel would follow its cliffhanger. Now thatPart Twois in theaters, they may be feeling déjà vu: Will there be a third?
DirectorDenis Villeneuvehas maintained that his plan was to adapt author Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novelDune, the story of Paul Atreides’ journey to the desert planet Arrakis and a messianic destiny, intotwo big-screen installments.
Not long after the first film’s premiere, a sequel was indeedgreen-lit, and the Oscar-nominated director toldEntertainment Weeklyhe would like to make “at least three”Dunemovies.
“It’s not that I want to do a franchise, but this isDune, andDuneis a huge story,” Villeneuve, 56, said at the time. “In order to honor it, I think you would need at least three movies. That would be the dream. To follow Paul Atreides and his full arc would be nice.”
Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet in “Dune: Part Two”.Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Part Twofinds Paul on Arrakis learning the ways of the mysterious Fremen people who see him as a prophetic messiah.
To avenge his royal house’s destruction at the hands of the universe’s emperor (Christopher Walken) and heads of rival clan the Harkonnens (Stellan Skarsgård,Dave BautistaandAustin Butler), the burgeoning rebel must partner with his Fremen lover (Zendaya) and their leader (Javier Bardem) to halt the harvesting of Arrakis’ all-important spice and challenge those who seek to control it.
Last August, Villeneuve toldEmpirethat “there are words on paper” for a third film, which would follow the events of Herbert’s second novel in the series, 1969’sDune Messiah. (Herbertwrote sixDunenovels, while his son Brian wrote further sequels, prequels and spinoffs.) “If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream,” the director reiterated.
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Dune: Part Twoends with Paul besting the Emperor and the Harkonnens and, with the Fremens’ help, launching the holy war across the universe that he had glimpsed in his spice-induced visions.
Timothee Chalamet in “Dune: Part Two”; Anya Taylor-Joy on Feb. 15.Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures; Samir Hussein/WireImage
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures; Samir Hussein/WireImage
Anya Taylor-Joy, who made a surpriseappearanceat thePart Twopremiere in London on Feb. 15, is introduced in another vision — as Alia Atreides, Paul’s psychically gifted unborn sister.
Although Chalamet, 28, and Zendaya, 27, don’t know for sure whether aPart Threeis on the horizon, the costars told PEOPLE they’re interested in more.
“I definitely am curious just as a fan watching,” said Zendaya. “I loved seeing Florence in this, and I’m very curious to learn more about Princess Irulan and the dynamic that she shares with Paul and Chani. I would love to see more of that.”
But, she notes, “it’s up to Denis and the powers that be.”
In the climactic final scene ofPart Two, said Chalamet, the tension between all three characters feels palpable. “Some of those shots are so creative, the way they communicate so much without a word.”
Both Alia and Irulan are characters with substantial roles in many of Herbert’s followups, starting withDune Messiah.
“When I approached Zendaya forPart One, I said, ‘I’m going to introduce your character, and if it is a second movie, then you will be one of themain protagonists,’” VilleneuvetoldEWrecently. “I made the same deal with Florence. Her character is introduced inPart Two, but then if there is an adaptation ofDune Messiah, of course Princess Irulan is one of the main characters in that story.”
(Left-right:) Timothée Chalamet, Denis Villeneuve and Zendaya on Feb. 22.Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty
Jung Yeon-je/AFP/Getty
Reiterating toTimemagazine in January that aPart Three“would make absolute sense,” Villeneuve revealed that if an adaptation ofDune Messiahhappens, it “should be the lastDunemovie for me.”
While fans eagerly wait for confirmation of a third movie, it seems Chalamet is among them. “The idea excites me very much,” the Oscar nominee toldTotal Filmmagazinein January. “If the time and opportunity comes to complete the story withMessiah, I think we’re all super enthusiastic about that.”
Dune: Part Twois in theaters now.
source: people.com
