‘Dune: Part Two’: Denis Villeneuve Says An Exclusive Theatrical Release Is A “Non-Negotiable Condition”

After a year of delays and the HBO Max day-and-date release, “Dune” has finally hit theaters and (so far, at least) been a great success for Warner Bros. So much so, Legendary and WB have already greenlit ‘Part Two,’ which will hit theaters in 2023. And now, it seems as if Denis Villeneuve can breathe a sigh of relief. But not for too long because he has work to do.

In a new interview with THR, Villeneuve talked about the early success of “Dune” and the quick go-ahead to make “Dune: Part Two.” And it’s that last bit that seems to have the filmmaker a little bit frazzled. While he wants to get the sequel in theaters as quickly as possible, the looming release date of October 2023 has him scrambling.

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“[The ‘Dune: Part Two’ release date is] fantastic news, but it’s also kind of a burden,” admitted the filmmaker. “The good news is that a lot of the work has been done already regarding design, casting, locations and writing. So we’re not starting from scratch. It’s not a long period of time, but I will try to face that challenge because it’s important for me that the audience sees ‘Part Two’ as soon as possible. It’s not a sequel where it’s another episode or another story with the same characters. It actually has direct continuity to the first movie. It’s the second part of the big, huge movie that I’m trying to do. So the sooner the better.”

As for how ‘Part Two’ will be released, don’t go thinking Villeneuve is going to be okay with repeating the day-and-date HBO Max/theatrical release. No, no, no. In fact, the filmmaker, who has been very vocal proponent of the theatrical experience, says the sequel must have an exclusive theatrical release, even if it is only the 45-day window that WB and most other studios are embracing moving forward. 

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“For me, it was a non-negotiable condition,” Villeneuve said. “I love streaming. I use streaming all the time. But I still think that contemporary movies need to have their chance. All movies need to have proper time in theaters. The theatrical experience is at the very heart of the cinematic language for me.”

So, if Villeneuve is stuck on Arrakis for the next two years prepping, directing, and finishing up “Dune: Part Two,” when are we ever going to see the filmmaker return to his more smaller-scale offerings like “Prisoners” or “Enemy?” Well, don’t hold your breath. Villeneuve is trying to take advantage of his youthful energy and get all of the blockbusters out of his system before he returns to the smaller features. 

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“If things go well with ‘Part Two,’ I could foresee the idea of maybe doing … ‘Dune: Messiah.’ That would make sense to me,” Villeneuve said. “After that, I think that I will make some other movies — let’s call them big movies, regarding their ambition and scope. And later on, when I’m too tired to do that, I will go back to some smaller projects. But for now, I have the energy to do this.”

“Dune: Part One” is in theaters and HBO Max now. (You should only watch it in theaters, if you feel safe doing so. But really, that is the best way to enjoy the film.) “Dune: Part Two” is set to arrive in theaters on October 20, 2023.