Does Dune 2 End With A Cliffhanger? Denis Villeneuve Has The Answer (Sort Of)
Denis Villeneuve's 2021 film version of Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic "Dune" ended when House Harkonnen successfully infiltrated the palace stronghold of Arrakkeen, killing off most of House Atreides and seizing control of the planet Arrakis' valuable natural resources. The head of House Atreides, Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac) died during the assault, trying to assassinate Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård). Leto's wife Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and his semi-psychic son Paul (Timothée Chalamet) were forced to flee into the wild Arrakis deserts, only occupied by the Fremen, a tribe of survivors who live at the whims of whatever galactic superpower controls Arrakis at any given time. The movie ends with Paul and Jessica earning the respect of the Fremen and being welcomed, tentatively, into their ranks.
In Herbert's original book, this only happens about halfway through. The story continued to see Paul grow among the Fremen, proving himself to be a chosen one of prophecy — the Kwisatz Haderach — destined to overthrow the Harkonnens and retake Arrakis for the Fremen. The second half of Herbert's novel will be adapted to the big screen in "Dune: Part Two," due in theaters on March 1, 2024. "Dune: Part Two" will introduce key players like the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), and Paul's Harkonnen counterpart Feyd Rautha (Austin Butler). We'll also see a relationship develop between Paul and the Fremen warrior Chani (Zendaya), a character only barely seen in "Part One."
"Dune: Part Two" is reported to be 165 minutes, so one might presume Villeneuve will finally close out the events of the first "Dune" novel. Or will Villeneuve get cheeky and end "Part Two" with another sequel tease or cliffhanger? He explained in a recent interview with Vanity Fair. Short answer: mmmmaybe.
Dune Messiah?
When asked if "Dune: Part Two" will satisfyingly end his saga, Villeneuve was a little slippery. He noted that his movie ends the same way Herbert's novel does, complete with Frank Herbert's assertion that the end of "Dune" describes the beginning of a new epoch for Arrakis. Villeneuve said:
"That's how the book ends. The Dune book ends with the beginning of something that is out of control, and I thought this was a very powerful ending. I feel that both movies complete the adaptation of the book, and I feel very good about that. When people ask me, is there a world where I could do 'Messiah?' Yes ..."
"Messiah" is a reference to "Dune Messiah," Frank Herbert's 1969 sequel to "Dune." That book takes place 12 years after the end of the first when Paul has become the Emperor of Arrakis and the messiah of the Fremen. He also began a galaxy-wide jihad that he is losing control of. If "Dune" was the tale of Paul's rise, "Messiah" was to be the tale of his faltering and failure. Villeneuve would be fine with adapting "Dune Messiah" to the big screen, and will end "Dune: Part Two" with the same setup Herbert gave.
But then, he will also change certain details, as the director confessed to TotalFilm:
"I will say that there's something that's complete [with 'Dune:Part Two'], that all of the elements are there. [...] But I think the movie adaptation is more tragic than the book. There's something more heartbreaking. The way that 'Part Two' ends ... it would create a total balance and equilibrium to finish Paul's storyline in what we could say in 'Part Three.'"
Close the door, open a window. Keep possibilities alive. Villeneuve is clearly being diplomatic.