Dune doesn’t have a post-credits scene. Here’s why that’s a good thing.
Here's what you need to know, and what it reveals about director Denis Villeneuve's long-term plans.
Dune has finally arrived, but despite the immense accomplishment of Denis Villeneuve, some fans may leave the theater (or the HBO Max app) wanting more. That’s because Villeneuve only agreed to adapt Frank Herbert’s beloved science fiction book if he could split it in two (Dune: Part Two is all-but-confirmed), meaning Part One ends on a major cliffhanger. That feels like something a post-credits scene could help solve.
If you’re here simply to find out if Dune has a post-credits scene that plays after the movie’s ending, hopefully, you’ve already got your answer. There is nothing but credits. So get up and go do something else. Congrats! You finished Dune, now you’ve only got to wait *checks notes* another three years for Dune: Part Two.
But before you complain, or worse, stop reading this article, here’s what you need to know about Dune’s post-credits scene — or lack thereof.
Why Dune doesn’t have a post-credits scene
Denis Villeneuve on the set of Dune.
Thankfully, we don’t have to speculate here. Speaking to NME, Denis Villeneuve explained exactly why he chose not to include a teaser for Dune: Part Two.
"I don't like post-credits scenes," he told NME. "There is a very specific final emotion that I was looking for with the final frame [of Dune] and I don't want to mess with that.
He added, "So no, I don't use post-credits scenes. I've never done that and I would never."
To be fair, this is also the first time Villeneuve has directed a movie that’s destined to get a sequel (Arrival 2, when?. But the point stands, Dune ends on a very specific note (I won’t spoil it if you haven’t finished the movie yet), and tacking on an extra joke would undercut the entire thing.
It’s also worth noting that Dune: Part Two still isn’t officially confirmed and Villeneuve hasn’t filmed a single frame or cast some of the crucial characters that show up in the final third of the book. So it’s not like the studio could just include some early footage from the sequel.
It’s also possible Villeneuve and Warner Bros. are both hedging their bets in case the movie flops and we don’t get a sequel at all. If that happens, a post-credits scene setting up what comes next would just seem weird — though it’s not like this movie really works on its own without a Dune: Part Two either.
Why it’s good Dune doesn’t have a post-credits scene
Timothée Chalamet in Dune.
Pretty much for the reasons outlined by Villeneuve himself. More than anything else, Dune is a work of art. And while it may be tempting to follow the Marvel formula and build hype for a sequel, that’s just not the right choice here.
After all, Dune isn’t setting up an entire cinematic universe. Villeneuve has made it clear that he wants to make one more movie, or, if things go particularly well, an entire trilogy that would cover the events of the first two books, Dune and Dune Messiah. So there’s no need to set a precedent for another sprawling interconnected series of films (even if there are technically enough books in the franchise to make something like that work).
In many ways, Dune is the anti-Marvel. The movie’s star, Timothée Chalamet, has even said he has no plans to ever play a superhero. Refusing to include a post-credits scene is just one more way Villeneuve can distinguish his sci-fi epic from the competition while also staying true to the story he wants to tell.
Dune is playing now in theaters and on HBO Max.
