The big-screen adaptation of Dune is one of the most-anticipated movies of 2021, and with such beloved source material, fans are already wondering if there will be a sequel! Based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name, this adaptation of Dune is betting big on getting a sequel – in fact, the upcoming film isn’t even adapting the whole book.
The movie being released as Dune is technically only an adaptation of the first half of the science fiction novel which, itself, has multiple sequels and spinoffs. In fact, even the title of the movie has been changed to reflect that. According to Inverse, viewers who saw an early IMAX screening of the first 10 minutes of the movie claimed that the onscreen title card reads Dune: Part One.
Director and writer Denis Villeneuve confirmed the news to ScreenRant, having previously admitted to already working on the Dune: Part Two script. “For me, Dune [Part One] is like an appetiser. Dune Part Two is the main meal,” he explained.
Clocking in at over 400 pages, the original novel is both dense and lengthy, so it makes total sense to split the movie into two parts. There already seem to be some big plans for the larger Dune universe too since HBO Max ordered Dune: The Sisterhood, a prequel series that, according to Deadline, “explores the [Dune] universe through the eyes of a mysterious order of women: the Bene Gesserit.” Diane Ademu-John, executive producer of The Haunting of Bly Manor, will serve as showrunner.
There’s one catch to all these plans, however. Officially, production company Legendary has not green lit Dune: Part Two, despite the filmmakers shooting this year’s Dune with the full expectation of having a sequel. As a highly anticipated movie with a big budget and an all-star cast, the studio seems to have a lot of faith that it will live up to expectations.
However, in the event of a major flop at the box office, there is still technically a possibility that a sequel won’t be green lit at all. In the meantime, fans of the series can watch the “first half” of Dune, either in theaters or on HBO Max on Oct. 22!
