Denis Villeneuve Will Only Make ‘Dune: Messiah' if it Can Be Better Than ‘Dune 2'

Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” is about to hit its fourth weekend of release – it’s already reached the $500 million mark at the box office.

Villeneuve sat down for an in-depth “post-game analysis” with the Empire Podcast, and, when asked about “Dune: Messiah,” this seems to be first time that I notice doubt, on the part of Villeneuve, as to whether he actually wants to make this third film of the trilogy.

“First, we need to make sure that we have a strong screenplay,” says Villeneuve. “The thing I want to avoid is not having something ready, and now I feel it could be dangerous because of the enthusiasm. We need to make sure all the ideas are on paper. If we go back, it needs to be real, it needs to be relevant, if ever I do “Dune: Messiah”, [it’s] because it’s going to be better than ‘Part Two’. Otherwise, I don’t do it”.

I’d be very curious to know exactly how Villeneuve will attempt to pull off “Dune: Messiah.” Frank Herbert’s source material is not as audience friendly as the first book. If Villeneuve sticks to the source material, it would be a very different film. Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, now a powerful dictator, would not be likable at all. The storytelling isn’t blockbuster material — more solemn, less action. Good luck, Denis.

Not many have realized that these first two ‘Dune’ films are not a “hero’s journey,” but more like a villain’s origin story. This ain’t ‘Star Wars.’ In ‘Messiah,’ Herbert tears down everything he built in the first novel, and where Paul finally ends up is really something to behold. It will be very hard to translate it into a tentpole blockbuster.

As you can tell, “Dune: Messiah” will present an immense challenge for Villeneuve — does he piss off the book’s fans or the token moviegoer? It could wind up that he angers both of these camps.