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Fear is the mind-killer, but if you’re worried this year’s Dune: Part Two was the last we’ll see of Frank Herbert’s expansive sci-fi world on screen, do not fret! Credited as one of the most influential science fiction works of all time, audiences were wowed when Blade Runner 2049’s Denis Villeneuve brought audiences back to the desert world of Arrakis with 2021’s Dune: Part One.
Starring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the young Ducal heir who finds himself at the centre of devious plots from rival Great Houses and mysterious sisterhoods, Villeneuve would reintroduce a whole new generation of fans to the Lisan al-Gaib. However, it would be this year’s follow-up, Dune: Part II that truly revealed the scope and majesty of Herbert’s classic tale. Ascending to the Imperial Throne and taking his holy war to stars, Dune: Part Two’s ending only marked the start of a grand saga that would come to change the very face of the galaxy.
For those whose first introduction to the world of Dune came via Villeneuve’s movies, however, there is still a lot more left to explore (some of which starts to get pretty strange). With this in mind, let’s take a look at what has been officially confirmed by Warner Bros. so far.
Dune: Prophecy
Previously developed under the working title of Dune: The Sisterhood, the first Dune spinoff series is set to arrive on Binge in November this year. Set 10,000 years before the events of Dune: Part One, this new show will follow the sisters Valya (Emily Watson) and Tula (Olivia Williams) Harkonnen as they seek to combat the forces that threaten humanity and establish a secretive order that would eventually come to be known as the Bene Gesserit.
Rather than being based on Frank Herbert’s writings directly, it is suggested that Dune: Prophecy may instead draw elements from the 2012 novel The Sisterhood of Dune penned by Frank Hebert’s son, Brian Herbert and his writing partner Kevin J. Anderson.
Dune Messiah
Intended to be the conclusion to Villeneuve’s Dune adaptations, the director’s third outing will instead see him turn his attention to Herbert’s 1969 sequel book Dune Messiah. Set 12 years after his ascension to the Imperial throne once held by Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV, this next chapter will pick up after Chalamet’s Paul Atreides has unleashed an unfathomable holy war against the greater galaxy that is responsible for the deaths of billions.
If audiences were under any illusions that Paul Atreides was some kind of prophesied heroic figure, Villeneuve’s conclusion will most certainly strip that misconception away in short order. One thing that audiences may not expect, however, is that if Villeneuve chooses to follow the original book, we will likely also see the return of Jason Momoa’s deceased Duncan Idaho (or at least a regrown clone-like duplicate made from his own cells known as a “Ghola”).
At this stage, no official release date has been set, though Villeneuve’s next movie is planned for a March 26, 2027 release date which most outlets are suggesting will be reserved for his third Dune movie.
What About Other Adaptations?
While Frank Herbert himself only penned six novels in the Dune universe, at present the fictional sci-fi world has been expanded to include some 23 novels and 13 short stories spanning over 15,000 years of history. As such the current film and television adaptations have only begun to scratch the surface of the available source material that could potentially provide rich story fodder for years to come.
One thing to bear in mind, however, is that Frank Herbert’s own books begin to get increasingly esoteric (and, in some parts, flat-out Weird with a capital W), and would challenge even the most seasoned filmmakers to adapt them to the screen. That being said, 1976’s Children of Dune has already been previously adapted into a 2003 miniseries starring James McAvoy as Paul Atreides’ son Leto II.
While Villeneuve is adamant that he will not do anything more in the Dune universe after Dune Messiah, it is more than possible that Warner Bros. may seek to turn to a new filmmaker to either helm a Children of Dune remake, or even look back into the plethora of prequels penned by Frank Hebert’s son. Either way, it seems unlikely that Dune Messiah will be the last we see of the Dune universe on screen.
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