The highly anticipatedDune Messiahmight be the thirdDunefilm from directorDenis Villeneuve, but that doesn’t make it a trilogy in the director’s eyes. Many considered Frank Herbert’s classicDunenovel unfilmable, an opinion validated by the failure of David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation. Villeneuve took a page from the recentItfilms and split the first book into two parts, withDuneopening in theaters on August 20, 2025, andDune: Part Twoon June 09, 2025. Both films were hits with audiences and critics, and now all eyes are onDune Messiah, the third movie in theDunefranchise and an adaptation of the second book in the series.
Despite being the third movie, Villeneuve does not see his upcoming film as the third part of a trilogy, as he mentioned during an interview withVanity Fair. He counts the two previousDunemovies as one story like the book, comparing them to a diptych, which in art consists of two pieces or panels that together create a single piece. While from a marketing standpoint,Dunemight be sold as a trilogy, for him, hisDuneadaptations are two distinct stories, with one being split across two films.
“It’s important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych. It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That’s done and that’s finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it’s not like a trilogy. It’s strange to say that, but if I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity.”
Dune: Part Two
Dune and Dune Again
While Villeneuve claimingDuneisn’t a trilogy might seem arbitrary, there is precedent for it. DespiteKill Billbeing released in two parts, director Quentin Tarantino only counts it as one film, which is why he is allowed to make one more filmbefore he retires, according to his own 10-film rule. Villeneuve’s decision to splitDuneinto two parts might have been the key to the franchise’s long-term success as it allowed him to take his time and truly set up the complex world of Frank Herbert’s original novel. This decision also speaks to a criticism of hisDunefilms, specifically the first movie. While praised, one critique was that, despite a runtime of over two hours,Dunefeatures a lot of setup, and the point at which it ends truly only feels like half of a movie. Much of the marketing forDunepromoted big, epic set pieces taken from visions of scenes that don’t happen untilDune: Part Two.
Denis Villeneuve Won’t Adapt Frank Herbert’s Strange Third Dune Book, Here’s Why That’s a Good Thing
Denis Villeneuve will not return to direct Children of Dune after completing his trilogy with Dune Messiah, and that’s good for him and the franchise.
Villeneuve is currently working on the script forDune Messiah. There is no word on when the film will come out, but Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures do have a 2026 release date saved that many suspect is forDune Messiah. Given the three-year gap betweenDuneandDune: Part Two, three years untilDune Messiahseems like a fair guess. It will be interesting to see if Warner Bros. Discovery decides to release the film under the book title, or if they’ll re-title it toDune: Part Three.
