Warning: Contains spoilers for the Dune book series.
While there has not yet been official word on whether Denis Villeneuve's Dune movie will definitely be made into an expansive series, potential followups already face challenges in the form of the original novel series. Frank Herbert's first Dune book was released in 1965, and has gone on to win numerous awards, becoming one of the top-selling science fiction novels of all time. It spawned a sprawling saga, with Herbert writing five sequels to his original work, and other authors (including Herbert's son) contributing more stories after his death.
Though Villeneuve's Dune isn't the first film adaptation of the beloved book, all signs point to a relatively faithful adaptation of the original novel. This is a good sign for fans of the original book, especially those who didn't enjoy the changes in David Lynch's 1984 Dune film. In fact, Villeneuve has stated he hopes to turn the first book into two films - a move that would allow him to stay even closer to the events in the over-400-page book. If the film franchise steps into Herbert's follow-up novels, however, a faithful adaptation of the source material could spell doom for a Dune sequel.
Even if Villeneuve's Dune is a smash hit, a potential Dune 2 or 3 that's follows Herbert's original novels will face major challenges in part due to time jumps, character deaths, and a healthy amount of palace intrigue and questionable morality. Though these are hallmarks of Frank Herbert's writing and arguably a large part of what made his sci-fi saga so successful, they are at odds with the traditional idea of a Hollywood blockbuster franchise. Note: Spoilers ahead for the Dune novel series.
Though there are a few reasons why Dennis Villeneuve's Dune may be divisive, novel-accurate sequels may push some studio executives to the limit. Dune Messiah, Herbert's second novel in the saga, begins twelve years after the events of the original in a universe where Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet's character in the upcoming Dune) is responsible for the deaths of sixty billion people. His followers embark on a jihad, bringing "peace" to the universe through violence. While the book develops Paul’s character and raises interesting questions about leadership and the cost of peace, it's hard to imagine its story appealing to those looking for a tentpole blockbuster. The book ends with the death of Paul's concubine Chani (played in Dune by Zendaya) during childbirth, a move that would rob the series of one of its biggest stars.
If Dune did kickstart a sci-fi franchise, the third and fourth films would cause even more problems for a franchise. Children of Dune, Frank Herbert's third Dune novel, takes place another nine years after the second novel and ends with the death of Paul Atreides, the saga's main character to that point. It would already be a challenge to convincingly age Timothée Chalamet from film to film, and an even tougher sell to kill one of Hollywood's most bankable stars. What's more, the fourth Dune novel God Emperor of Dune takes place a whopping 3,500 years after the previous novel and tells the story of Paul Atreides' son Leto Atreides II, who is a tyrannical human/sandworm hybrid. Though this artistic choice paid off for Frank Herbert, it would be an unprecedented move for a film franchise hoping to compete with more conventional blockbusters.
Though the upcoming Dune's best chance for success may be streaming, the book series itself may have been best suited for adaptation as a streaming series rather than a film. Despite the difficulties of successfully creating a big-budget sci-fi feel for the small screen, the subtleties, gray areas, and artistic twists and turns of Frank Herbert's Dune saga seem well-suited for a long-running series. With the release of Dennis Villenueve's Dune right around the corner, however, the future of the franchise will soon become more clear.
