Dune and Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve has often mentioned that he is (or was) a huge Star Wars fan, and has even suggested that George Lucas' original trilogy was an early influence on his decision to pursue a career as a filmmaker.
Despite his love for the franchise, Villeneuve has now explained why he has no interest in directing a movie set in the galaxy far, far away.
While chatting to The Town Podcast, Villeneuve said directing a Star Wars movie simply isn't "a dream of his" because "Star Wars became crystallized in its own mythology, very dogmatic, it seemed like a recipe, no more surprises."
He also feels that Return of the Jedi derailed the franchise back in 1983.
“I was the target audience. I was 10 years old. It went to my brain like a silver bullet. I became obsessed with Star Wars. I mean, The Empire Strikes Back is the movie that I anticipated the most in my life. I saw the movie a billion times onscreen. I was traumatized by The Empire Strikes Back. I adore Star Wars.”
“The problem is that it all derailed in 1983 with Return of the Jedi,” he continued. “It’s a long story. I was 15 years old, and my best friend and I wanted to take a cab and go to L.A. and talk to George Lucas — we were so angry! Still today, the Ewoks. It turned out to be a comedy for kids.”
While a lot of Star Wars fans would likely agree with Villeneuve about ROTJ being the weakest of the trilogy, most would probably consider the final film in the recent sequel trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker, to be the lowest point of the franchise.
At any rate, even if the celebrated filmmaker won't be stepping into the Star Wars franchise anytime soon, sci-fi fans can look forward to him returning to helm an adaptation of Dune: Messiah at some point.
What do you make of Villeneuve's comments? Let us know in the usual place.
The saga continues as award-winning filmmaker Denis Villeneuve embarks on Dune: Part Two, the next chapter of Frank Herbert’s celebrated novel Dune, with an expanded all-star international ensemble cast. The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2021’s six-time Academy Award-winning Dune.
The big-screen epic continues the adaptation of Frank Herbert’s acclaimed bestseller Dune with returning and new stars, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (Wonka, Call Me by Your Name), Zendaya (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Malcolm & Marie, Euphoria), Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning), Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame, Milk), Oscar nominee Austin Butler (Elvis, Once Upon A Time…In Hollywood), Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (Black Widow, Little Women), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Love and Thunder), Oscar winner Christopher Walken (The Deer Hunter,), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences), Léa Seydoux (James Bond, Crimes of the Future), with Stellan Skarsgård (Avengers: Age of Ultron), Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (45 Years, Assassin’s Creed), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Being the Ricardos).
Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.