Denis Villeneuve Already Set Up Dune 3 With This 36-Second Scene

A third installment of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune saga is not officially confirmed, but a short but memorable scene in Dune: Part One hints that the filmmaker is going for a trilogy – which is exactly what he has always wanted. Villeneuve’s desire to make a Dune trilogy has been an open secret since he was first announced as the director of the first film, but the modest box office for that installment has made his plans uncertain. Though the upcoming Dune: Part Two is expected to be one of the biggest films of 2024, Dune 3 is not guaranteed.

In Dune: Part One, Paul Atreides has a vision of a “holy war spreading across the universe like unquenchable fire," during which he sees legions of warriors crying out in support of him as he leads them on a violent jihad across the universe. This apocalyptic prediction is not realized until the second book of Frank Herbert’s series, Dune Messiah, in which Paul undertakes said holy war. As Dune Messiah will be the basis for Villeneuve’s intended third Dune movie, it is fair to assume that he is quietly confident he will get to make it. Otherwise, including this vision in the first film would have been entirely pointless.

Paul's Vision In Dune Of A Holy War Directly Sets Up Dune 3's Story

Paul’s destiny beyond Dune: Part Two is well-foreshadowed throughout Dune: Part One, although the intensity of his power over those of the Muad’Dib religion is only hinted at in brief visions and prophecies. In the first film's most memorable scene, Paul is in a deep spice trance and foresees a possible future wherein he is the mighty leader of a massive religious/military movement. This includes legions of Fremen warriors alongside those from off-world. He then has to grapple with the burden of responsibility that he has in having to make the choice of whether to become this leader.

Denis Villeneuve’s decision to put heavy emphasis on Paul's vision of a religious crusade or holy war was probably not accidental. Following Paul’s ascent to Emperor of the Known Universe in the third book, Dune Messiah, Paul uses the colossal support he has garnered as the superbeing — the Kwisatz Haderach — in order to wage a jihad in his name. His prescient abilities cause a religious fervor around him, ultimately leading to the spread of the conflict across the known universe, like “unquenchable fire." This is all foreseen by Paul in Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One, albeit in a 36-second scene.

Dune 2 Might Include More Visions Setting Up Dune 3

One of Paul’s most transcendent visions is that of the future of Arrakis, the desert planet he ventures out into at the end of Dune: Part One. Paul sees that the harsh, near-uninhabitable desert planet will one day be transformed into an abundant garden planet, all as a result of the kindness of House Atreides and Paul himself. The quasi-terraforming is made possible by a renewed control over spice reduction and the implementation of ecological programs that regenerate the planet. If Denis Villeneuve wanted to really emphasize how inaccurate a so-called prophecy can be, then this would be an appropriate one to put in Dune 3.

Similarly, the infamous Water of Life vision in Dune is a crucial part of the novel, where Paul consumes the essence of spice and experiences a series of visions and revelations that establish his powerful foresight. It allows Paul to know that the Emperor and his fleet are invading from above and paves the way for the Fremen to begin treating him as a messianic figure. As the first male to survive the consumption of the Water of Life, Paul is suddenly revered – and rightly so – as the experience gives him great power and sets up his rise to a godlike emperor in the third Dune novel.

What Denis Villeneuve Has Said About Dune 3 

Audiences do have a reason for excitement when it comes to the possibility of a Denis Villeneuve-directed Dune 3. He sees his version of the story as having three main chapters, culminating in the narrative told in Frank Herbert’s direct sequel to Dune, Dune Messiah, which was followed by four more major installments. Though Villeneuve is likely a fan of all the Dune books, he has admitted that those that came after Dune Messiah are too esoteric to adapt, and indeed the content of those stories ups the psychedelic, hallucinogenic nature that fans will see glimmers of in Dune: Part Two.

Villeneuve is well aware that Dune Messiah was written by Herbert with the reader's response to its predecessor in mind. They treated Paul Atreides as a hero, and Herbert had intended the story to serve as a warning about groups of people putting their faith in one person. Villeneuve, having said that his version supports this warning, will likely show the true consequences of Paul being made into a messianic figure in Dune 3. The filmmaker has claimed that words have been written on paper, but the potential for a final installment in this intended Dune trilogy will surely depend on the success of Dune: Part Two.

source : Screenrant