The news of the release date of Dune Part 2, arriving in October 2023, was a bolt from the blue for fans of what the director, Denis Villeneuve, would like to turn into a trilogy. Now, however, it is the Canadian director who reveals that he is worried about that same release date.
The director of Dune Part 2 is worried about the film’s release date, which he hopes to finish on time
“It’s fantastic news, but it’s also a burden”, the director told the Hollywood Reporter. “The good news is that a lot of the work has already been done in terms of design, casting, locations and writing. So we’re not starting from scratch. It’s not a long time, but I will try to address this challenge because it is important to me that the audience sees the second part as soon as possible. It’s not a sequel where it’s another episode or another story with the same characters. It actually has a direct continuity with the first film. It is the second part of the great film that I am trying to make. So the sooner the better ”.
In the same interview, Villeneuve admits that production probably won’t start until autumn 2022, leaving only one year to film for both production and post-production. It’s not impossible, sure, but it’s not the easiest thing to do with a film of that size either.
Thankfully, Villeneuve said he felt invigorated thanks to the positive reactions the film is getting. “Knowing that people are enjoying the film and that the film has created excitement gives me the energy I need to face the second part “, continued the director. “Even from a very self-centered point of view, that joy gives me energy. This is what I will say. If it had been the other way around and no one had turned up at the cinema, I don’t know where I would have found the necessary resistance to face the challenge of the second part ”.
If all goes according to plan, the film will debut in theaters on October 20, 2023 and, perhaps, will not be the last for the Dune franchise:
“If things go well with the second part, I might think about making a third film, Dune Messiah. It would make sense to me “, said the director. “Later, to answer your question, I think I’ll make other films; let’s call them great movies in terms of their ambition and scope. And later, when I’m too tired to do it, I’ll go back to some smaller projects. (Laughs.) But for now, I have the energy to do it. “
