Will There Be A ‘Dune: Part Three?’

Even though Dune Part 2 (or, to those of us with a keen eye for humor, TWOne) is not yet consumable by the public, it’s not that absurd to already think about the next movie in the series, right Who cares if you even like the sequel This stuff needs to be figured out now.

The Dune sequel will hit theaters next week, and while there has not yet been any official word from Warner Bros about a third installment, that hasn’t stopped director Denis Villeneuve from “unofficially” moving forward with his ideas. “Dune Messiah – which, Dune 3, the title would be Dune Messiah – we’ll see the day when the screenplay will be ready and I want to make sure that there will be no compromise,” he told Comic Book. “It has to be tremendous. All is there to make the fantastic film, and I don’t want to mess it up.”

Even though he is on board for another film, Villeneuve told Uproxx that he is ready for a nice little break. “For now, I’ve had my share of sand and I would love to take a little break from Arrakis before going back, if ever I go back. I will go back if there’s a strong screenplay on the table. It’s a work in progress right now. So, I have nothing to say about Dune Messiah, other than it could be interesting to finish. Totally finalize the poetry, this arc. But I will say that, for me, I tried to complete the story in the two first movies. And to see that, if it stopped there, there was a part of me that I knew I will have spent enough time in Arrakis.”

What would the third film entail There’s a lot of material for Villeneuve to use considering there are six textbook-length books filled to the brim with dramatic sand dunes. Dune Messiah is the second book in the series and follows Paul as he takes on the role of a messiah to the fremen. It’s expected that Timothee Chalamet will reprise his role as Paul, assuming he isn’t called back to Loompa Land.

If you don’t feel like waiting (who does!) then here’s a real treat: you can see Dune Messiah play out in a 2003 made-for-tv miniseries Children of Dune starring James McAvoy. You can also read the book, or experience a similar sensation by just laying down in a pile of sand for three hours.

Dune Part Two his theaters on March 1st.