Denis Villeneuve is definitely interested in making a Dune trilogy but it appears that Warner Bros. may steer away the director from such an idea. According to reports, WB is planning to release the successfully running Dune: Part Two on streaming platforms at least by April 15th. Villeneuve vehemently opposed Dune‘s dual release in theaters and HBO Max in 2020. The new move may not make the director a very happy man.
Dune: Part Two has so far collected $252.4 million at the domestic and $373.7 million at the international box office, according to Box Office Mojo. The trend of the numbers shows that the film is not going to slow down anytime soon at the box office.
Denis Villeneuve May Not Take Up Dune 3 If WB Commits This Mistake
Recent reports about the streaming release of Dune: Part Two indicate that Warner Bros. is going to commit a major mistake with the film. The studio is reportedly thinking about releasing the film digitally on April 15, 2024, when the mandatory 45 days after theatrical release ends (via Forbes). The project will probably be made available to rent and purchase on video-on-demand (VOD) platforms.
Earlier, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav shared on a Q4 earnings call that Denis Villeneuve‘s epic sequel will hit Max sometime in the spring of 2024 (via Forbes). The studio seemingly does not intend to give the film much chance to shine at the theaters. It is also possible that the film may get a longer period on VOD before it becomes available for general streaming, just like Barbie.
Villeneuve clearly will not be a fan of WB’s potential money-minded move. The Sicario director had earlier expressed his objection to the first Dune film simultaneously releasing in theaters and HBO Max. Villeneuve shared with Variety:
“I strongly believe the future of cinema will be on the big screen, no matter what any Wall Street dilettante says.”
Villeneuve’s perspective is justified by Dune 2‘s exceptional performance at the theaters since its worldwide release on March 1. The total collection has well exceeded its $195 million budget, reaching the mark of $626 million (via Box Office Mojo). The Arrival director has been vocal about his plans for Dune 3, but it becomes more and more improbable if WB goes ahead with their plans for the Dune 2 streaming release.
In a statement at a press conference in South Korea last year, Villeneuve shared that the Dune 3 script is in the works. However, he also added that he might take a detour from Arrakis after working two back-to-back films. He may come back to Dune 3 only after a break, and fans expect WB to not screw things up during this gap.
Denis Villeneuve And The Dune Cast Want To Return For Dune 3
Back in August 2023, Denis Villeneuve shared with Empire Magazine that his dream was to make a Dune trilogy. Speaking to the South Korean press in December, Villeneuve revealed that Dune: Messiah screenplay was almost finished and it made absolute sense to make a third film. The Blade Runner 2049 director shared:
“Dune: Messiah is being written right now. The screenplay is almost finished but it is not finished. It will take a little time…There’s a dream of making a third movie…it would make absolute sense to me.”
When Fandango asked Zendaya whether she would return for a third movie, she replied, “Any time Denis calls it’s a yes from me” (via Variety). She revealed that she started reading Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah and found it to be too much to take in. However, she was confident that there were no better hands than Villeneuve’s to handle this project.
Timothée Chalamet also shared with Total Film magazine that the idea of a third film excited him. He shared, “If the time and opportunity comes to complete the story with Messiah, I think we’re all super enthusiastic about that.” With Dune: Part Two‘s overwhelming success, fans hope that Dune 3 becomes a reality.
Dune: Part Two is running successfully in theaters. Dune is now available for streaming on Max and Netflix.
