Dune has been nominated for 10 Oscars at this weekend's Academy Awards, with the anticipation being that the sci-fi epic will walk away with its fair share of wins. Director Denis Villeneuve, for some reason, didn't earn a nomination, but he's busy developing the highly anticipated sequel.
"It’s going to be another beautiful journey in the desert again," Villeneuve told Deadline at the PGA Awards this weekend. "It's the journey where Paul Atreides and his mother, Lady Jessica, make contact with the Fremen culture and meet with the Fremen. It’s Paul's journey against the enemy." Teasing what fans can expect, he added: "It's a movie that will be more cinematic."
Villeneuve was also asked about planned HBO Max spinoff Dune: The Sisterhood, confirming that he won't be overseeing the project as he's understandably focused on his sequel. "We'll see what happens," he said of the project before noting, "The TV series is a work in progress, it's moving forward."
Finally, the trade asked about recent reports that Black Widow star Florence Pugh is in talks to play Princess Irulan Corrino, the eldest daughter to Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, and the future spouse of Timothee Chalamet's Paul. All Villeneuve would say on the matter was, "There’s been rumors..."
Much to the delight of fans, it was recently confirmed that the Dune sequel will be released on October 20, 2023. Production is scheduled to begin this Fall, so expect more casting news to follow. As for that spinoff, it's a shame to think Villeneuve won't be actively involved, but Warner Bros. is clearly looking to use its streaming platform to expand on this world, so it could be the first of many TV shows.
Stay tuned to SFFGazette.com updates on Dune!
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