UPDATE: Deadline and THR are reporting that Villeneuve might have had a change of heart, and he now wants to complete the ‘Dune’ trilogy by 2026. He’s currently working on the “Dune: Messiah” script and locking the cast. It’s the project that Villeneuve is currently working on.
EARLIER: Warner Bros. has reportedly dated an upcoming film from director Denis Villeneuve, set for release on December 18th, 2026. Being touted as “an event film,” no further details were given. Let the speculation begin…
It’s definitely not his nuclear war film, based on Annie Jacobsen‘s nonfiction book, and set up at Legendary, as Villeneuve is reported to be directing that one after “Dune: Messiah.”
Many, including myself, would love for Villeneuve’s next film to be his long-gestating adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s “Rendezvous with Rama.” Villeneuve has been attached to ‘Rama’ for quite a few years now.
A few weeks ago, I reported that Eric Roth was writing an adaptation of Korean author Bo-Young Kim’s short story, “I Am Waiting For You.” That one could possibly go to Villeneuve’s direction, but I was recently told that a few A-list directors are interested in helming that one.
Maybe it’s “Cleopatra,” which was once rumored to star Zendaya in the titular role. The latest draft of the film was being written by “1917” scribe, Krysty Wilson-Cairns. David Scarpa (“Napoleon”) had written the original draft.
Then there’s “Dune: Messiah,” which Villeneuve had stated, multiple times, would probably not be his next film. There is still the possibility that he has indeed decided that ‘Messiah’ will be his next one, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Villeneuve seems to really want to escape the deserts of ‘Dune’ for something completely different.
One thing’s for certain: it’s not the next James Bond. Warner Bros has nothing to do with that MGM-owned franchise. We don’t even know if a Bond will be shooting in the foreseeable future, as producer Barbara Broccoli is said to very much be taking her time with the next film.