Denis Villeneuve teases Dune Part III as Dune: The Sisterhood set to restart production

While we were all excited to be heading back to the world of Frank Herbert’s Dune under the direction of Denis Villeneuve this Christmas, the ongoing Hollywood strike has, sadly, meant that Dune Part II is now a 2024 release.

Warners have released a new poster (above) with the new date [March 15th, 2024] and all, so it’s official.

However, if you’re a fan of Dune, there’s a lot of good news to overshadow the bad.

First up, while Villeneuve’s plan was originally to make Herbert’s epic, iconic tale into two movies, but it seems that now he’s set his sights on a third movie to finish off the story, should the second movie perform as hoped… and the tale would see Timothée Chalamet’s character, Paul Atreides fall from grace.

Christopher Walken will play the emperor in Dune: Part Two

“If I succeed in making a trilogy, that would be the dream,” the director says, adding that the trilogy closer would be Dune: Messiah: “Dune: Messiah was written in reaction to the fact that people perceived Paul Atreides as a hero, which is not what he wanted to do. My adaptation [of Dune] is closer to his idea that it’s actually a warning.”

He adds that should he do three, he’d not be pushing to do a fourth as at that stage, the books “become more… esoteric”.

But are there any plans in place yet? Well, maybe some: “I will say, there are words on paper.”

So, if you want more Arrakis action, then be sure to check out Part II next March.

72 days until #DunePartTwo pic.twitter.com/5GfuEFQorx

— Denis Villeneuve Universe (@DenisVfilms) August 23, 2023

However, the Dune story won’t end on the big screen as the long-touted Dune: The Sisterhood has also had some exciting updates.

Production of Dune: The Sisterhood will restart in Budapest, Hungary soon, despite the ongoing strikes, with actors who are part of the Equity contract expected to film scenes even as the strikes go on.

Everything To Expect From Dune: The Sisterhood

As of now, Olivia Williams will play the lead role of Tula Harkonnen and Jodhi May will play Natalya and the series will be set 10,000 years before Villeneuve’s films, adaptation of Dune, exploring the beginnings of the Bene Gesserits’ history.

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The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on “Dune: Part Two,” the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning “Dune.”

The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Wonka,” “Call Me by Your Name”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: No Way Home,” “Malcolm & Marie,” “Euphoria”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning”), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Avengers: End Game,” “Milk”), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (“Elvis,” “Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood”), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (“Black Widow,” “Little Women”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Thor: Love and Thunder”), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (“The Deer Hunter,” “Hairspray”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Léa Seydoux (the “James Bond” franchise and “Crimes of the Future”), with Stellan Skarsgård (the “Mamma Mia!” films, “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Being the Ricardos”).

“Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Herbert’s novel. The film is produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Villeneuve, Tanya Lapointe and Patrick McCormick. The executive producers are Josh Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, with Kevin J. Anderson serving as creative consultant.

Villeneuve is again collaborating with his “Dune” creatives: Oscar-winning director of photography Greig Fraser; Oscar-winning production designer Patrice Vermette; Oscar-winning editor Joe Walker; Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert; Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West. Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer is again on hand to create the score.

“Dune: Part Two” was filmed on location in Budapest, Abu Dhabi, Jordan and Italy. The film is slated for a March 15, 2024 worldwide release from Warner Bros. Pictures. 

Dune tv series, The Sisterhood, is happening and has a director in place for the first two episodes

Sources: Screenrant & Empire Magazine