WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Dune Messiah and Children of Dune.As director Denis Villeneuve continues to develop his next epic sci-fi blockbuster, Dune: Part Three, the future of Paul Atreides on the big screen remains a mystery. An adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel Dune: Messiah, Dune: Part Three will feature the main character Paul Atreides as the protagonist once again, played by Timothée Chalamet in the past two installments. But considering the source material and Villeneuve’s plans for the franchise going forward, what becomes of Paul after Dune: Part Three is anyone’s guess.
While Villeneuve’s Dune films have been considered a trilogy centered around Paul Atreides, the director doesn’t think so. The franchise could go way beyond his three films, as there is still plenty of material from Herbert’s novels and many other Dune books. However, this still leaves Paul’s presence in the franchise after Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three up for debate. The Dune movies have taken mᴀssive liberties with the original story, but there are still many opportunities for Paul to appear in Dune: Part Three and beyond.
Dune 3 Will Adapt Dune Messiah
Paul Atreides Will Return In Dune: Part Three
While the first two Dune films show Paul grappling with embracing his destiny as a false prophet and the heir to House Atreides, the third film is to depict him struggling to maintain his power long after he attains it. If Villeneuve’s third Dune movie follows the timeline of Dune Messiah, Paul will have ruled over the Known Universe as its Emperor for many years after eradicating the Harkonnens and overthrowing Shaddam IV in Dune: Part Two. Despite this, he still must face a conspiracy trying to take control of the Imperium from him.
Paul Atreides would be the main character in Dune: Part Three, and Timothée Chalamet is apparently returning, alongside Zendaya and others. However, since the sequel takes place over a decade after Dune: Part Two, it seems possible that another actor could be involved as an older version of Paul. Yet given Chalamet’s mᴀssive popularity, particularly with Dune fans, it seems more likely that the studio will stick with him playing Paul in the next Dune movie.
Paul Atreides Could Return For A Fourth Movie If Children Of Dune Is Adapted
The Books Pave The Way For Paul’s Appearance After Dune: Part Three
However, if Children of Dune gets adapted as the fourth Dune movie, it likely wouldn’t feature Paul as the protagonist. Children of Dune centers on Paul and Chani’s children, Leto and Ghanima, who rise to inherit the throne of Paul’s universal empire as various dark forces vie for power, including Paul’s sister Alia. However, this book shows the return of Paul Atreides long after he vanished into the desert in Dune Messiah, blind and deprived of his ability to see the future.
While Dune: Part Three would provide the most satisfying end for Paul’s character arc with Dune Messiah‘s conclusion, a fourth Dune film could see him face a tragic and divisive death.
Paul reappears in Children of Dune as “The Preacher,” a mysterious figure who initiates religious protests against the crimes committed by the Atreides Empire, which he once ruled over. Though he tries to stop the conflict by appealing to his sister, Alia, who has become corrupted by Abomination, her followers stab Paul to death right in front of her. While Dune: Part Three would provide the most satisfying end for Paul’s character arc with Dune Messiah‘s conclusion, a fourth Dune film could see him face a tragic and divisive death.
Ghola of Paul Atreides Appear In Later Dune Books – Could They Become Movies?
Dune’s Version Of Cloning Can Create Another Paul Atreides For Even More Sequels
Though Paul dies in Children of Dune, death is not the end in the Dune universe. Even after author Frank Herbert died before he could finish the saga, his son Brian Herbert and author Kevin J. Anderson continued the story of Dune in subsequent novels after Chapterhouse: Dune. The sequel books show Paul returning in the form of a ghola, an artificial duplicate created using the genetic material from his ᴅᴇᴀᴅ body. Even though this ghola will look like Paul and retain his memories, he will still be a separate enтιтy from the original.
There also isn’t just a single ghola of Paul in the sequel books. One Paul ghola is mixed with the DNA of Baron Harkonnen, turning him into the villainous Paolo, in a plan to conquer the Universe. Another younger ghola of Paul is created, and he ends up fighting the evil Paolo in a bizarre but unique plotline. Such a story could be adapted into a movie somewhere down the line. Given the number of stories between the lives of the original Paul’s death and ghola Paul’s birth, that could take several years, depending on how faithful the movies are to the source material.
How Many Dune Movies Denis Villeneuve Plans To Make
Villeneuve May Not Stay With The Dune Franchise To The End
Just as Paul walks off into the desert at the end of Dune Messiah, Denis Villeneuve may walk away from the franchise after adapting this sequel book for the big screen. The director expressed his desire to stop making Dune movies after directing Dune: Part Three due to the amount of time and effort more sequels would require. He also feels that the stories from the books after Dune Messiah would be too difficult to adapt to mainstream cinema. However, the franchise likely won’t end if Villeneuve stops directing.
Another director could be hired to take Villeneuve’s place as the main creative force behind the Dune film franchise. This may allow audiences to see a new trilogy based on the sequel novels centered around Leto and Ghanima. Not only would this put a fresh perspective on the story, but it could even give Paul one more cinematic appearance as the Preacher. Though Villeneuve was the one who helped bring Dune back to the spotlight, the franchise’s cinematic universe has already begun to expand without him at the helm with HBO’s prequel series, Dune Prophecy.
By adapting Dune Messiah, this sequel movie could wrap up Paul’s story and Villeneuve’s tenure in the franchise on a high note.
Overall, Paul Atreides has proven to be one of the most significant figures in the Dune universe. It goes without saying that his character will play an important part in Dune: Part Three as the leader of the Fremen and the Imperium. By adapting Dune Messiah, this sequel movie could wrap up his story and Villeneuve’s tenure in the franchise on a high note. Nevertheless, the Dune novels show how Paul can come back, even from the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Leto and Ghanima could act as the new faces of the Dune franchise, Paul could make many more appearances in future films, and take the Dune saga in a bold new direction.
