Paul Atreides' Story May Never Be Finished, Despite Denis Villeneuve's Dune 3 Plans (& That's OK)

Summary Denis Villeneuve wants to leave Dune after the third movie, which ignores the other four Dune books.

Timothée Chalamet and other major stars may follow Villeneuve's exit from the franchise.

Dune 3 may not follow the book's ending, but Villeneuve's vision offers a sense of closure.

So far, Dune director Denis Villeneuve has done justice to the story of Paul Atreides, yet his plans for Dune 3 hint that Paul's story may never reach its real conclusion, and that's fine. In 2024, Villeneuve released Dune: Part Two to incredible acclaim. The excitement surrounding the movie, along with its amazing reception, proves that the franchise is on the right track. Dune 3, when it arrives, will certainly be another massive movie event. However, it may not be the ending that readers of Frank Herbert's Dune books were expecting.

The Dune movies have more or less stayed faithful to Frank Herbert's books, but changes are inevitable. For example, the span of time between Dune and Dune: Part Two is only a matter of months, but on the page, it is three to four years. Furthermore, the characters each display subtle but effective differences in the movies versus how they were written. These distinctions can either irk viewers who love the Dune books or make the films that much better. Dune 3's story plan is expected to feature significant changes, but it seems that might not be a bad thing.

Related 5 Ways Dune 3 Will Be Different From The Book After Denis Villeneuve's Part 2 Changes Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two made some necessary changes to the source material, but the choices will also reshape the plot of Dune: Part Three.

Dune 3 Will Be Denis Villeneuve's Final Dune Movie, But Paul's Story Continues

Paul's Story Goes Beyond Dune 3

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The following section contains spoilers for Frank Herbert's Children of Dune.Before the release of Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve told Time that he wanted Dune 3 to be his last Dune movie. This may be the case, but notably, how the Dune books end is different from how Dune 3 would end. In fact, there are six books in the main Dune series: Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune. So far, Villeneuve has adapted the entirety of the first Dune book with his two movies, and Dune 3 would likely cover Dune Messiah. Yet, Paul's story does not end there.

Though Paul Atreides is only the main character of the first two Dune books, he does reappear in the third novel, Children of Dune. Taking place approximately 20 years after the events of Dune, Children of Dune sees Paul return as a character called The Preacher. He argues that the religion built around Paul Atreides is false and should no longer be followed. He also appeals to his son Leto not to sacrifice himself for the greater good. Overall, Paul may not be the antihero of Children of Dune, but he does play a significant role as The Preacher.

Dune 3 Being Timothée Chalamet's Final Dune Movie Wouldn't Be Surprising

Dune's Future May Be Too Risky

Chalamet could potentially stay on as Paul Atreides if another director picked up the Dune movie franchise, but it wouldn't be surprising if the actor left, too.

Another important detail to glean from Denis Villeneuve's Dune 3 statement is that he specifically wants Dune 3 to be his last movie. Just because Villeneuve is taking a step back does not mean that the Dune movie franchise has to end. Yet, it seems likely that the films won't be the same without Villeneuve. In fact, Villeneuve's exit probably forecasts the exits of Dune's other major stars, including Timothée Chalamet. Chalamet could potentially stay on as Paul Atreides if another director picked up the Dune movie franchise, but it wouldn't be surprising if the actor left, too.

One big reason why Chalamet would follow Villeneuve's Dune exit is because the franchise is somewhat dependent on the director and his vision. Dune has been adapted to the screen before, and there is a certain privilege to being a part of a specific version, especially Villeneuve's, because of its success. Therefore, when a pillar of the franchise leaves, it's not a complete surprise if actors follow the director in exiting rather than risk seeing the film series fall apart. For consistency's sake, Chalamet and the rest of the Dune cast could very well follow Villeneuve's lead.

Related Dune 3 Needs To Be More Than A Messiah Adaptation & Use This 16-Year-Old Story Too Denis Villeneuve will adapt Dune Messiah for Dune 3, but the movie would benefit from expanding the narrative and using another book story too.

Why It's Ok If Timothée Chalamet Doesn't Return As Paul For Dune 4

Dune 3's Ending Won't Be Too Bad

The following section contains spoilers for Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah.Fortunately, ending the franchise with Dune 3 isn't a terrible option. Though it's not the technical end of Paul Atreides' story, Dune Messiah ends with Paul walking into the desert as himself, Paul Atreides, and not the savior Muad'Dib. While it may not be the most firm ending, it does bring Paul's story to something of a close. This is a good thing because it will feel like the book is closing on Villeneuve's franchise and Chalamet's depiction of Paul. Therefore, if someone else picks up the franchise for Dune 4, it won't be strange that the previous cast and crew are absent.

Dune 3 could possibly release in December 2026 based on WB's plan for Denis Villeneuve's next movie.

Overall, Denis Villeneuve's Dune plan could run pretty smoothly. The director will not be adapting the remainder of the Dune books, but the film franchise could very well still have a sense of completeness. By coinciding the end of the movies with the end of Paul's time as the main character, Villeneuve is setting himself up for success. After Dune 3, audiences will hopefully be satisfied, and the cast and crew can move on to other projects.

Source: Time