Dune director Denis Villeneuve has revealed that he initially planned on filming both movies at the same time.

• READ MORE: ‘Dune’ review: desert-based blockbuster will scorch your senses

The filmmaker, who is soon releasing Dune for Warner Bros. after premiering the movie at the Venice Film Festival, has said that he wanted fo embark on both projects at once despite the second not being green-lit yet.

Villeneuve had pitched the studios a two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel, with his new release beginning with a title card that reads “Dune: Part One.”

“I wanted at the beginning to do the two parts simultaneously,” Villeneuve told Variety in a new interview.

“For several reasons, it didn’t happen, and I agreed to the challenge of making part one and then wait to see if the movie rings enough enthusiasm. As I was doing the the first part, I really put all my passion into it, in case it would be the only one. But I’m optimistic.”

Later reflecting on the eventuality that the second film does get confirmed, Villeneuve told the publication: “If such a thing as Dune: Part Two happens, I will say that it’s going to be an insane playground for me.

“It’s going to be just like pure cinematic pleasure for the second part. I don’t want to speak for everybody on the team, but I will say that we really created on this movie a feeling of family and to re-unify everybody again together, that would be paradise.”

In a four-star review of Dune, NME wrote: “The average cinemagoer might not have realised they need to come back for another round – and there’s little about Dune‘s marketing to help them twig.

“That said, the sheer ambition on display here means you get plenty of bang for your buck.”

Dune is released in UK cinemas on October 21 and in the US the following day.