Dune director Denis Villeneuve says Dune 3 will likely be the last movie he makes in the franchise

Dune director Denis Villeneuve says Part 3 will likely be the last movie he makes in the franchise.

Over the years, the Canadian filmmaker has made no secret of the fact that he plans to transform Frank Herbert's iconic sci-fi novel and its 1969 sequel into a trilogy, despite the author penning four more Dune books in his lifetime. And in a recent interview with Time, he made it clear that he's not looking to switch that up anytime soon...

"Dune Messiah should be the last Dune movie for me," he said candidly, suggesting that once the three movies are complete, he'll probably dip out and, if Warner Bros want to visit Arrakis again, wind up handing over the reins to someone else.

Released in 2021, Dune centers on Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the son of a powerful Duke, whose life gets turned upside down when his father Leto (Oscar Isaac) accepts a stewardship role on a hostile, desert planet. At the end of Part 1, Paul and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), align themselves with the world's native people, the Fremen, in an attempt to free it from the unlawful, brutal Harkonnens and fulfil Leto's dream of bringing peace to the land.

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

Dune 2 is set to pick up where the original leaves off, with Paul, Jessica, and Chani (Zendaya) making a play for power against Christopher Walken's ruthless Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV. What's in store beyond that when it comes to the big screen adaptations – HBO is currently developing a spin-off series – remains a mystery for now...

"Denis is an artist, and doesn't like to share things until he's got it figured out. So whenever he's ready, we’re all keenly ready to hear what his vision is," Zendaya tells Total Film of Villeneuve's yet-to-be-revealed hopes for the third installment.

"The idea excites me very much," adds Chalamet. "If the time and opportunity comes to complete the story with Messiah, I think we're all super-enthusiastic about that."

Dune: Part Two releases on March 1. While we wait, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies heading our way.

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.