Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune 3’ “Goes Beyond” ‘Messiah’ and Into Something “No One Expected”

I’m soon going to make a poll asking our readers what their most anticipated movie of the fall will be. I think the consensus choices would include David Fincher’s ‘Cliff Booth,’ Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s “Digger,” Robert Eggers’ “Werwulf,” and Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine.”

Oh, and this little movie called “Dune: Part Three,” which is the conclusion of Denis Villeneuve’s saga, an epic that is rumored to not only go darker than the first two installments, but also bigger. Whispers claim the film, which Villeneuve is currently editing, is currently at over three hours.

Javier Bardem, who will return for this final film, is now revealing that the ending of ‘Dune 3’ will go much further than the conclusion of Frank Herbert’s third book, “Dune: Messiah.” He also hyped the upcoming sequel as a “masterpiece” that will conclude “like no one expected.”

Bardem recently spokewith Entertainment Tonight, in which he talked about ‘Dune 3,’ and when asked about whether he’d seen a cut of the film, said, “It’s going to be a masterpiece. Because Denis (Villeneuve) really wants to go farther and farther from the last movie. It’s like what he did with the second movie compared to the first one.”

He further sent a message to fans of the books and said, “Those who have read the book know the ‘Messiah’ book, but it goes beyond that. It’s going to be a feast. It’s going to be something extraordinary.”

Villeneuve will no doubt be tackling not just ‘Messiah,’ but also parts of the third book, “Children of Dune.” Furthermore, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke recently joined the cast as Leto II and Ghanima, the children of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya). Momoa and Brooke’s inclusion means a time jump will certainly happen.

As you might already know, ‘Messiah’ is not as audience-friendly as the first book. If Villeneuve sticks to the source material, it will be a very different film than the first two. Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, now a powerful dictator, would not be the least bit likable. The storytelling isn’t blockbuster material—more solemn, with less action. It reveals itself not as a “hero’s journey,” but more like a villain’s origin story.

‘Dune 3’ has an ensemble cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Bardem, Florence Pugh, Robert Pattinson, and Anya Taylor-Joy. The film is set to hit theaters on December 18.