The original plan was for director Denis Villeneuve to take a break from Dune. As the filmmaker began to put the finishing touches on 2024s Dune: Part Two, he seemed pretty insistent that while he wanted to continue, and conclude, the story of Paul Atredies in Dune Messiah, he would need to take a break first. But, eventually, those feelings changed and now it seems likely Villeneuve is going to make three Dune movies in a row. What changed? Well, in a new interview, Villeneuve says its because of you. Yes, you. The person reading this. The person who, we are inferring, is a fan of Dune: Part Two. I was really moved by the way Part Two was received by cinephiles around the world, and I felt an appetite and a desire to see more and a responsibility to finish that story, Villeneuve said in an interview with Collider. You see? Fandom can be a good thing. That story, according to the writer-director, is currently very focused on the character we see last in Dune: Part Two, Chani, played by Zendaya. Chanis heart is broken, and its the beginning of the Holy War and thats where we left, so in a way, Id say its quite similar, he said. I was expecting to do something else before, but frankly, thats the inspiration that came to my mind as I took a break this summer and was going back and finishing the story. Villeneuve has been chipping away at the script for Messiah, based on Frank Herberts 1969 follow-up to Dune, for years. Hes spoken time and time again about working on it, his ideas for it, and when hes going to make it. But it wasnt until recently, when Warner Bros. set a release date for an untitled Villeneuve event film on December 18, 2026, that rumblings started about it being another Dune. And now it certainly seems like it will be. All thanks to the fans who showed up for Dune: Part Two, turned it into a massive hit, and championed it all the way to the Academy Awards. In Dune Messiah (which, yes Timothe Chalamet, has been out for over 50 years and is not really a spoiler), we follow Paul after his decision to marry Princess Irulan and rule the galaxy. Hes joined by a clone of Jason Momoas Duncan Idaho and, well, things get proper weird. All of which we may see in December 2026. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.