After the success of Dune: Part Two, Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is in talks to direct a film, which is an adaptation of Annie Jacobsen's nonfiction book Nuclear War: A Scenario, reported Variety. Legendary Entertainment, an American film production company, has chosen Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen's nonfiction book Nuclear War: A Scenario for a potential reteam with Dune: Part Two director Denis Villeneuve. The production company also confirmed that it would be working with Villeneuve to develop a third Dune film. His producing partner Tanya Lapointe would also be a part of the project. Denis Villeneuve Birthday Special: From Blade Runner 2049 to Dune, 6 Best Scenes That Prove He Is a Master at Visual Storytelling.
According to Variety, Jacobsen's book, which was released on March 26, "explores a ticking-clock scenario about what would happen in the event of a nuclear war, based on dozens of exclusive new interviews with military and civilian experts who built the weapons and have been privy to the response plans and have been responsible for those decisions should they have needed to be made." Meanwhile, Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two does well at the box office, earning 630 million dollars worldwide. The sequel, starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and others, is now the top-grossing picture of 2024. In the film, Chalamet plays Paul Atreides. Villeneuve's first Dune film, released in 2021, earned 402 million dollars worldwide. Dune 3: Zendaya Breaks Silence on Denis Villeneuve's Trilogy Plans Ahead of Sequel Premiere.
Denis Villeneuve in Talks for Film Based on Nuclear War: A Scenario Book
Denis Villeneuve's Post-Dune Messiah Project Could Be Nuclear War
— Rafa Rueda (@NeoZeiss) April 5, 2024
Jacobsen's other books include Area 51, Operation Paperclip, The Pentagon's Brain, Phenomena, Surprise, Kill Vanish, and First Platoon. As a writer and producer for TV, her credits include Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, reported Variety.