Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune will be 3 movies in total, and Dune: Part 3 is even more important to the seminal sci-fi saga than the upcoming Dune: Part Two. Nonetheless, expectations remain high for Dune: Part 2, especially after the first movie won 6 Oscars at the 2022 Academy Awards.

The much-anticipated sequel Dune 2 is expected in 2024 — although its own sequel, Dune 3, will be much more important for the franchise. As an adaptation of the second half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi masterpiece, Dune: Part 2 concludes the story of Paul Atreides’ rise to become the emperor of the Known Universe.

Fortunately, Villeneuve has announced plans to make a Dune trilogy. This could be because Dune 3, which will be based on 1969’s Dune: Messiah, drives home the key message that Herbert wants readers to take away from his work.

It’s always a bit of a gamble for directors to rely on hypothetical sequels to drive home the effect of an original film, but given the enormous success of Dune thanks to Villeneuve’s creative vision, Dune 3 will likely quickly follow Dune: Part 2 — and the final installment of Villenvue’s Dune trilogy will be the most important.