Before receiving a digital release last week, Dune: Part Two racked up nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office, paving the way for the third Dune film that writer/director Denis Villeneuve and stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya all expressed interest in making during the build-up to the second movie’s release. While the first two Dune movies were both based on the story told in Frank Herbert’s novel Dune, the third movie would move on to different source material: Dune Messiah, the second book in Herbert’s series. During an interview with The New York Times, Villeneuve confirmed that he’s writing Dune Messiah right now!

Villeneuve said, “That anger (felt by Zendaya’s character at the end of Part Two) is tremendous. I don’t want to reveal what I’m going to do with the third movie. I know exactly what to do. I’m writing it right now. But there’s a lot of firepower there, and I’m very excited about that decision.“

The novel Dune Messiah has the following description: Dune Messiah continues the story of Paul Atreides, better known-and feared-as the man christened Muad’Dib. As Emperor of the Known Universe, he possesses more power than a single man was ever meant to wield. Worshipped as a religious icon by the fanatical Fremens, Paul faces the enmity of the political houses he displaced when he assumed the throne-and a conspiracy conducted within his own sphere of influence. And even as House Atreides begins to crumble around him from the machinations of his enemies, the true threat to Paul comes to his lover, Chani, and the unborn heir to his family’s dynasty.

Chalamet and Zendaya play Paul Atreides and Chani in these movies.

Villeneuve has previously said that he won’t make Dune Messiah unless he can make sure that it will be even better than Dune: Part Two. He’ll have a little while to work on the script, because he’s expected to direct the film Nuclear War: A Scenario for the Dune producers at Legendary before he returns to the world of Paul Atreides.

Are you glad to hear that Dune Messiah is already being written? Share your thoughts on this franchise by leaving a comment below.

Also in the works is a TV series spin-off called Dune Prophecy.

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