Dune: Part Two is expected to be one of the biggest films of 2023, and even though many are already looking ahead to Dune 3, director Denis Villeneuve just gave a disappointing update on the potential threequel's release.
Villeneuve's first Dune was generally well-liked by audiences when it was released, and if moviegoers like its sequel, Dune: Part Two, as much as critics do, it could be a generational film.
Villeneuve already expressed his desire to make a third installment in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's novels and also where he would like to take it, but seeing as how it is still quite far off, there are still many questions surrounding its release.
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Dune 3 May Release Later Than Fans Hope
In an interview with The Times of London, Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve revealed that it may be a while before fans get to see Dune 3.
While admitting that he "absolutely" has "a desire to make" Dune 3, the director stated that he "[doesn't] want to rush it:"
"There is absolutely a desire to have a third one, but I don’t want to rush it."
He then talked about Hollywood as a whole, specifically regarding how big film studios care more about releasing movies as quickly as possible rather than crafting them with care and making them as good as they can be:
"The danger in Hollywood is that people get excited and only think about release dates, not quality."
This new update will likely be disappointing to many fans seeing as how the first film was a huge box office success and many cannot wait to see Dune: Part Two.
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When Will Dune 3 Release?
It is important to note that Dune 3 has not yet been confirmed by Warner Bros. Even though Dune: Part Two already received rave reviews from critics and its ticker presale numbers seem to be extremely profitable, no official announcement has been made.
However, as previously mentioned, director Denis Villeneuve already went on record numerous times talking about Dune 3, so fans do know that it will almost definitely come out, but many are wondering exactly when.
The first Dune film was released in 2021 and the next installment came out in 2024, meaning that there is a three-year gap between the first two titles.
If Dune 3 were to follow suit, it would be released in 2027, but unfortunately, it is not that simple.
It is important to remember that Dune: Part Two was delayed multiple times, with one of those pushbacks caused by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) strike.
It is also just as important to consider Villeneuve's own words. At the Dune: Part Two premiere in South Korea that took place in December 2023 (as shared to YouTube via TongTongCulture), the director suggested that he may take a break from the franchise and make a different film before returning to that universe:
"I don’t know exactly when I will go back to Arrakis. I might make a detour before just to go away from the sun. For my mental sanity I might do something in between, but my dream would be to go a last time on this planet that I love."
At the same event, however, Villeneuve also revealed that the script for Dune 3 (which the director referred to as "Dune Messiah") was "being written" at that point:
"['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."
That said, it could be a few more years before Dune 3 is released. It could still potentially be released in late 2027, but if Villeneuve does take a break, it could disappointingly be closer to the middle of 2028, or even the later months of that year before it comes to theaters.
Dune: Part Two will be released in theaters on Friday, March 1.
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