Back in a September interview with Variety, more than a month before Dune hit theaters, director Denis Villeneuve said that the story, adapted from Frank Herbert's 1965 novel of the same name, was too big to tell in just one movie.
"The story is so rich and complex that, in order to be faithful to the book, we’ll need to make at least two movies,” he told Variety. “That was a deal right at the start.”
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Today, in announcement from Legendary, that deal was honored. In granting Villeneuve's wishes for at least two movies, the entertainment company confirmed that a Dune sequel will happen sometime in the future.
"This is only the beginning...," Legendary tweeted. "Thank you to those who have experienced @dunemovie so far, and those who are going in the days and weeks ahead. We're excited to continue the journey!"
Dune, having just come out on October 22, was billed as the first part of a series, however, nothing had been confirmed until Legendary's tweet. But after a $40 million opening weekend and fans fawning over heartthrobs Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet, it makes sense why Legendary was quick to confirm a second movie.
While Herbert's original novel had inspired films and television series including Star Wars and Game of Thrones, there had never been a 1:1 film recreation. And while it took 56 years for that film recreation to actually happen, it only took one weekend for a second part to be confirmed. Whether Zendaya and Chalamet will reprise their roles for the duration of the Dune saga is yet to be seen, but after receiving a Cinemascore of A-, it's clear that viewers are loving the first installment and are obviously clamoring for more.
Check out the trailer for Dune below and let us know if you're planning on catching it on the big screen.