Summary

• Denis Villeneuve's next movie after Dune: Part Two will be based on Annie Jacobsen's nonfiction novel Nuclear War: A Scenario.
• The acclaimed director's collaboration with Legendary Entertainment continues with his project.
• The movie will come out after Dune Messiah is complete and will focus on the horrors of a possible nuclear war scenario.

Director Denis Villeneuve's first movie after Dune: Part Two has been announced, and will be another production alongside him and Legendary Entertainment. The sci-fi director's latest theatrical hit has garnered $630.1 million at the box office as of writing, making it likely he'll be able to craft another installment in the future. His next planned installment is an adaptation of Dune Messiah, the sequel novel to Herbert's original 1965 sci-fi book.

However, Deadline reports that Villeneuve's next movie following Dune: Part Two's release will be a film based on Annie Jacobsen's nonfiction novel Nuclear War: A Scenario. Teaming up with Legendary once more to make the movie, the director is expected to make the film after Dune Messiah is finished. This means it could be quite some time until the director's new project about nuclear warfare is cemented.

What To Expect From Denis Villeneuve's Nuclear War Movie

Jacobsen, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, wrote Nuclear War: A Scenario as a nonfiction examination of what would happen to humanity if a nuclear war were to happen. Her sources include dozens of military personnel and civilians who know of response plans should such a war break out in the world. For Villeneuve's adaptation, it would serve as a cautionary movie about what could happen should countries abuse the weapons they now have at their disposal.

While Dune: Part Two's ending touched on the notion of people using major weapons against each other in wartime, the major focus of the film was on its characters. With Nuclear War, though, the film can focus on the large-scale impact of such weapons in a more grounded setting. The horror it could explore could be compared to last year's Oppenheimer, delving deeper into the what-if scenario of the world using nuclear weapons against one another.

Since it seems the movie won't be made until after Dune Messiah arrives, Villeneuve has plenty of time to fully develop what the adaptation is going to focus on. With Jacobsen's book being centered around real-world possibilities, it's unclear how this is going to translate to a big-budget production. However, given the talent the director has showcased throughout his various projects - and most notably his Dune adaptation - the nuclear-focused film will no doubt be another memorable addition to his filmography.

Dune: Part Two is still playing in theaters.

Source: Deadline