Dune director Denis Villeneuve is making a movie about nuclear war – and it sounds chilling

Denis Villeneuve at a screening of Dune — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Dune director Denis Villeneuve is set to make a film about nuclear war, and it already sounds absolutely terrifying.

Per Deadline, the filmmaker is potentially reteaming with Dune production company Legendary to adapt the non-fiction book Nuclear War: A Scenario, penned by Annie Jacobsen.

The book is a Pulitzer Prize finalist that describes, minute by minute, what would happen in the event that a nuclear missile is fired at the Pentagon. It's based on interviews with experts, both military and civilian, and gives a frighteningly realistic look at what a world-ending nuclear exchange would really be like. Deadline says the film adaptation is expected to be a "chilling cautionary tale about where the world might be headed".

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At the moment, Villeneuve looks set to produce, and would adapt and/or direct the film. Considering Dune: Part Two also heavily featured atomic weapons in its narrative, it sounds like the project would be in very good hands.

"I am a massive Denis Villeneuve film fan so it's amazing to finally share this news," Jacobsen wrote on Twitter.

Speaking of Dune, a threequel is officially in the works. That film would adapt the events of Dune: Messiah, and Villeneuve has said before that it would likely be his last film in the franchise. It's also set to be completed before the adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario.

You can keep up to date with everything 2024 has in store with our guide to all the upcoming major movie release dates. For more on Dune 2, check out our deep dives on:

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film section. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.