Denis Villeneuve Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Denis Villeneuve will be back in theaters for the 2026 holiday season, but will his next feature be “Dune: Part Three“? That’s the question on everyone’s mind as THR reports that Warner Bros. has the director’s next film with Legendary Entertainment slotted for a December 18, 2026 theatrical release.

Katcy Stephan Warner Bros. has announced a slew of changes to their release schedule, most notably slotting an untitled event film from Legendary and “Dune” director Denis Villeneuve for Dec.

Austin Butler has revealed that he unsuccessfully auditioned to play Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games.The role ultimately went to Josh Hutcherson, who starred in four Hunger Games movies between 2012 and 2015 opposite Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne.“I auditioned for ‘The Hunger Games’ and I didn’t get it at all,” Butler told Buzzfeed in a recent interview. “I don’t even think I got a call back, what’s the character, Peeta? Josh Hutcherson got that, he’s great.”Butler was joined in interview by his The Bikeriders co-star Jodie Comer, who revealed she also once missed out on a big big franchise: “I auditioned for ‘Mamma Mia!’ That was a time, That was also when I was auditioning for ‘Killing Eve’ as well,” she said.Before auditioning for The Hunger Games, Butler was best known for featuring in various Disney Channel and Nickelodeon projects such Zoey 101, iCarly and Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure.

Inside Out 2” performed like major studio movies of yore, while IFC’s “Late Night With the Devil” proved that there’s still life in the indie business. There were also redemption stories. Will Smith restored the luster on his tarnished star with another “Bad Boys,” and “Garfield,” whose love affair with lasagna dates back to 1976, proved that some kitties have nine lives.

Beef season two have already begun, and it has been reported that the second instalment might see a reunion between two former co-stars.The A24/Netflix series about a road rage argument that escalates into a full-blown feud, received high critical acclaim for its first series, winning eight Emmys and three Golden Globes.It was announced earlier this year that a second season might be on the cards, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway and Priscilla’s Cailee Spaeny all originally rumoured to be involved.Now, according to Deadline, two more Hollywood A-listers are potentially set to join the cast, with sources sharing that Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan might be starring in the second season.This would mark another reunion for the two actors who starred alongside Ryan Gosling and Bryan Cranston in the 2011 action thriller film Drive, as well as the 2013 biopic, Inside Llewyn Davis.Inside sources have reportedly told Deadline that the pair are “in negotiations to star” in season two and that the roles Mulligan and Isaac are up for were the ones originally intended for Hathaway and Gyllenhaal.While it was reported to Deadline that the second season hasn’t officially been given the green light, inside sources have shared that the plot is set to centre around two feuding couples.The rumours come after a busy year for Mulligan, who played the eccentric friend of Rosamund Pike’s character in Saltburn, earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal as Felicia Montealegre, wife of Leonard Bernstein, in Bradley Cooper’s Maestro, and starred opposite Adam Sandler in the Netflix sci-fi movie Spaceman.Isaac, whose past projects include Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, the Star Wars sequel trilogy and playing the eponymous role in Inside Llewyn

Jonathan Majors has landed his first film role since being convicted of domestic assault in 2023.The actor, who was subsequently fired from Disney‘s Marvel Cinematic Universe, will star in the independent revenge thriller Merciless, which will be helmed by Martin Villeneuve, the younger brother of Dune director Denis Villeneuve.Written by Frank Hannah, the upcoming film follows a CIA investigator who goes to troubling lengths after the one he loves is overpowered by sinister forces. Filming is expected to begin in Saskatchewan, Canada in autumn.Majors was sentenced in April to one year of domestic violence counselling after he was found guilty of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari.

Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter Jonathan Majors has been cast in the independent revenge thriller “Merciless.” It marks his first film role since he was convinced in 2023 of domestic assault and fired from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. Martin Villeneuve, the younger brother of “Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, is directing “Merciless” and confirmed the news of Majors’ casting.

EXCLUSIVE: Jonathan Majors is set to top line topline the revenge thriller Merciless, which is based on an original screenplay by Frank Hannah. Martin Villeneuve, the younger brother of filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, will direct. The younger Villeneuve is best known for his sci-fi opus Mars et Avril.

EXCLUSIVE: After earning an Oscar nomination for her work in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt might have found her next job, with a director who inspired not only Nolan but a generation of filmmakers. While a deal has not closed, sources tell Deadline that Blunt is in early talks to star in Steven Spielberg‘s next film at Universal and Amblin, marking the first time the A-lister has worked with the iconic director.

Idris Elba (Hijack) and Rebecca Ferguson (Silo) are circling roles in Academy Award winner Kathryn Bigelow‘s next film for Netflix, sources have confirmed to Deadline.

John Oliver poked fun at himself on the latest episode of Last Week Tonight on HBO.

Rian Johnson’s Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery has another splashy addition to its cast in Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (Dune: Part Two), Deadline can confirm.

Barbie and Oppenheimer, films that were joined at the hip in the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Completing the top five were The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Fast X.

Dune 3 is pretty much confirmed to happen and interest in a third movie will definitely go up now that Dune: Part Two is streaming on Max.

HBO Max has released the first teaser trailer for its upcoming Dune prequel series, Dune: Prophecy – watch the trailer below.This past weekend, HBO Max uploaded the Dune: Prophecy trailer onto its official YouTube page. In the short trailer, we get a look at the world that the Dune films are set in, 10,000 years before the ascension of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), as a gathering of Harkonnen women plot to establish a new covenant known as the Bene Gesserit.While Dune: Prophecy has yet to receive a firm release date, it has been confirmed to arrive exclusively on HBO Max sometime this Fall.Dune: Prophecy serves as a prequel series to the Denis Villeneuve films, and is based on the novel Sisterhood Of Dune, written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J.

Selena Kuznikov Get ready to return to Arrakis, now from the comfort of your couch. Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” will be available to stream on Max next Tuesday, May 21.

Fans of the “Dune” novel series were not shocked by much in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation. However, even if you read the original book, you were probably shocked to see the inclusion of Anya Taylor-Joy in the film.

physical media like DVDs and Blu-rays remains robust, transcending mere nostalgia. These formats offer a tangible, personal connection to the artistry of film and television—a curated collection that one can physically handle, showcase, and possess.

Brent Lang Executive Editor A pair of Warner Bros. releases have achieved some important box office milestones. “Dune: Part Two,” the acclaimed adaptation of Frank Herbert’s monumental sci-fi novel, has passed $700 million worldwide, while “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the latest installment in the long-running monster franchise, eclipsed $500 million at the global box office.

As an actress and executive producer, Zendaya is already a multi-hyphenate, but she’s not quite ready to climb into a director’s chair.  IndieWire reports (via The New York Times) that the “Challengers” star needs more time before she directs her first project. But when that day comes, Luca Guadagnino will say, “I told you so.” READ MORE: ‘Challengers’ Review: Zendaya Rules This Love Triangle “I’m overly conscious of everything else around me,” Zendaya told the publication in an interview for Guada’s new tennis drama, in theaters today.

Zack Sharf Digital News Director Angelina Jolie‘s scrapped “Cleopatra” movie was part romance epic and part “political thriller with assassinations and sex,” according to the movie’s original screenwriter Brian Helgeland. The Oscar-winning actor was set to play the Egyptian queen in a tentpole for Sony Pictures that once courted director David Fincher to helm. It never got off the ground.

“Dune” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve has a lot of options for what he could make next, and one of them could be his long-gestating “Cleopatra” movie based on the Stacy Schiff novel “Cleopatra: A Life” for Sony Pictures (he has a couple of options, one of them being a third “Dune” movie too). Before that, however, some may remember the era when filmmaker David Fincher had a version of the movie set up at Paramount, circa 2012, that would have starred Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie  (long before the competing Gal Gadot incarnation with Patty Jenkins and Kari Skogland).

Leo Barraclough International Features Editor The Karlovy Vary Film Festival and Variety have teamed up to honor Francine Maisler, one of the world’s most respected casting directors, whose recent credits include “Dune: Part Two,” “The Bikeriders,” “Challengers,” “Civil War” and “Joker: Folie à Deux.” Maisler has worked on more than 70 feature films and is a recipient of 15 Artios Awards from the Casting Society of America, including for “Marriage Story” in 2020 and “Don’t Look Up” in 2021. As well as working with director Denis Villeneuve on “Dune: Part Two,” “Dune,” “Arrival” and “Sicario,” her other films include Terrence Malick’s “Tree of Life” and “Knight of Cups,” and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “The Revenant” and “Birdman.” In 2022, she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her work on HBO’s “Succession.” As part of its homage, Karlovy Vary will hold a special screening of one of the films which Maisler worked on.

This year’s edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is set to present a retrospective on Franz Kafka and his influence on cinema, dubbed The Wish To Be A Red Indian: Kafka and Cinema. It will examine how the influential Czech writer has impacted filmmakers from Orson Welles, Martin Scorsese, Ousmane Sembene, Jan Nemec and Steven Soderbergh. 

Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter Box office sands continue to flow for “Dune: Part Two,” which is nearing $700 million worldwide. Director Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic has grossed $276 million in North America and $419 million overseas, bringing its global tally to $695.8 million after eight weeks of release. It’s an impressive benchmark in post-COVID times; only five movies in 2023, eight in 2022 and five in 2021 managed to cross the $700 million mark.

“Dune: Part Two” returns to IMAX screens this weekend, a move that will likely send Denis Villeneuve‘s sequel over the $700 million global box office barrier. That’ll be a coup for him and Warner Bros. and all but assure Villeneuve makes “Dune: Part Three” as soon as possible (barring a break, of course, and maybe another project first as a creative palette cleanser).

Led by Dune: Part Two and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, Warner Bros has crossed the $1B mark at the international box office, becoming the first studio to reach the milestone this year. Getting there in just 15 weeks, this also sets a new speed record for WB, besting the 17 weeks it took in 2018. The full international estimate through today is $1.04B.

With Dune: Part Two being such a success in theaters, it seems to be a no-brainer that we’ll be getting Dune 3 in the future.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. “Dune: Part Two” is barreling to streaming. The epic sci-fi sequel, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, will become available to rent and purchase on digital starting Apr.

The holds on Legendary/Warner Bros’ Dune Part Two have been great week-to-week since its March 1 opening, nothing steeper than -45% in a given week and as low as -36% in its third. That’s all due to Imax, and for fans who savor the Denis Villeneuve directed sequel, it’s getting an extended run in that large format exhibitor’s auditoriums.

Today’s Hollywood stars are more “sophisticated” and “aware of the business” than in the days Kyle MacLachlan was starting out, the Sex and the City star said today as he gave his thoughts on another Twin Peaks reboot.

Well, that didn’t take long, did it? EW reports that, thanks to the success of “Dune: Part Two,” Legendary and Dnis Villeneuve have “Dune 3” in development. That comes as no surprise to moviegoers.

Dune: Part Three is officially moving ahead with director Denis Villeneuve, Variety has confirmed.Part One and Two split Frank Herbert’s supposedly “unfilmable” novel into two separate movies, while the third in the trilogy will reportedly be based on the author’s significantly slimmer follow-up, Dune Messiah.While plot details have not yet been confirmed, the film is expected to continue the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he grapples with the dark consequences of his role as Freeman messiah.Legendary is yet to announce a timeline for when production on Dune: Part Three might begin, but the studio intends for the movie to debut before its next project with the director – an adaptation of Nuclear War: A Scenario, Annie Jacobsen’s 2024 Pulitzer Prize-nominated book.In March, Villeneuve said it would be “healthy” to take a minor step back from the sci-fi franchise, having filmed Part One and Part Two back-to-back. However, he was always expected to return for Part Three.“I did both movies back-to-back, which makes absolute sense for me.

There’s been an exciting update about Dune: Messiah following the major success of Dune: Part Two.

Jaden Thompson Following the massive success of “Dune: Part Two,” director Denis Villeneuve may have found his next project. The filmmaker is in discussion to reunite with Legendary for an adaptation of Annie Jacobsen’s Pulitzer Prize finalist “Nuclear War: A Scenario,” Variety has confirmed.

With “Dune: Part Two” now in the rearview mirror, what’s next for Denis Villeneuve? First, a well-deserved rest, but the director said last month that he has “four projects on the table,” including “Dune Messiah,” “Cleopatra,” and another secret project. But what about the fourth? READ MORE: ‘Dune: Messiah’: Denis Villeneuve Says He’ll Make Sequel Only If “It’s Going To Be Better Than ‘Part Two'” Well, it could be “Nuclear War: A Scenario.” Deadline reports that Legendary Entertainment optioned Annie Jacobsen‘s nonfiction bestseller and eyes Villeneuve to direct.