Denis Villeneuve will be directing the next James Bond movie, and we can’t wait to see his take on 007. And while his directorial slate is full of intense thrillers, he’s had an intriguing focus on sci-fi in recent years. From his universally acclaimed two-part adaptation of Dune to breathing new life into classic sci-fi Blade Runner with an epic sequel, there’s plenty to talk about.
When asked by Letterboxd for his four favorite movies, sci-fi clearly plays a big part in inspiring his work, with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and, unsurprisingly, the original Blade Runner all part of his selection. And while we’re certainly not expecting James Bond to take on an alien invasion anytime soon, we’re excited to see Villeneuve’s unique take on the character.
5. Enemy
Release date: February 6, 2014 | Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, Isabella Rossellini | Streaming: HBO Max
An unexpected entry to start, but we’ll get to that. In Enemy, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Adam, a college professor who discovers that he has an identical counterpart in Anthony, a famous actor. In a dual role, Gyllenhaal finds himself entangled in a disturbing plot that explores how their similarities appear to be skin deep, and how those appearances can be deceiving.
Following on from his exceptional work on the crime thriller, Prisoners, Villeneuve took his penchant for nail-biting cinema and explored a deeper, more psychological, and downright surreal approach to directing.
It’s not sci-fi in the traditional sense (Gyllenhaal might be a clone; it’s never directly addressed), but rather layers of symbolism and surrealist themes that would later become the bedrock of Villeneuve’s more hard sci-fi hits. The twist ending, which I won’t spoil, can be left open to interpretation, but Arachnophobes should definitely stay away (a running theme in Villeneuve’s later work, given Dune’s disturbing eight-legged critters).
4. Blade Runner 2049
Release date: October 6, 2017 | Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright | Streaming: Amazon (Rent/Buy)
Blade Runner 2049 follows K (Ryan Gosling) as he heads out on a personal mission to track down former Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), who reprises his role 30 years on.
The original Blade Runner is one of Villeneuve’s favourite films, so to take the reins from Ridley Scott on the sequel over three decades later would certainly have been a nerve-wracking endeavor, but he executed it boldly, crafting an excellent follow-up to Scott’s masterpiece.
Much like the original, Blade Runner 2049 keeps the pacing slow, the visuals atmospheric, and the storytelling intense, but unlike the original, Villeneuve was able to take full advantage of modern technologies (and a huge budget). Not only is it a fantastic sequel, but it stands alone as a superb sci-fi movie on its own merits.
Sure, if it’s a numbers game, Blade Runner 2049 didn’t do very well at the box office, failing to break even, but that hasn’t stopped fans and critics from lavishing it with praise. If you’re a sci-fi aficionado or just a cinephile with a penchant for atmosphere (and awesome synth soundtracks), you need to see this movie.
3. Dune
Release date: October 22, 2021 | Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac | Streaming: HBO Max
Adapting Frank Herbert’s iconic space opera to the big screen is an endeavor of epic proportions, and one that had previously been attempted by David Lynch, with mixed results. But that didn’t put Villeneuve off, and thank goodness it didn’t. Dune tackles the first half of Herbert’s epic tale, exploring Paul Atreides’ chaotic and grief-stricken battle on the dangerous planet of Arrakis.
Space operas like Dune can often be impenetrable to casual moviegoers, but Villeneuve gave his adaptation the kind of broad appeal that most sci-fi franchises can only dream of. It’s sci-fi, sure, but really it’s a story of betrayal, survival, and ultimately revenge.
Part Two (which we’ll get to) builds upon the foundations that this first entry so expertly lays to offer us some huge battles and appropriately epic cinematography, but the opener is a stunning movie in its own right.
2. Arrival
Release date: November 11, 2016 | Cast: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker | Streaming: Paramount
When aliens arrive on Earth, linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is enlisted to communicate with the extraterrestrial beings to find out why they’ve come. Arrival is a slow-paced, thoughtful epic that eschews big battles and intergalactic conflict in favor of exploring themes of loss and understanding.
A deeply moving and emotional piece of cinema made possible through Villeneuve’s masterful direction, the cast’s wonderful performances, and expert pacing. When you think you need a moment to catch your breath, you’re given it, and when you’re at the edge of your seat hoping for a reprieve, you’re set free.
And despite it feeling out-of-this-world, the realization you’re ultimately left with is that we all live our lives hovering in an unknown state, but doing so boldly and bravely. Consider me biased — I think Arrival is one of the best sci-fi movies of all time — but with its stunning visuals, beautiful story, and unpredictable conclusion, I still catch myself thinking about this movie to this day, and I have Villeneuve to thank for that.
1. Dune: Part Two
Release date: March 1, 2024 | Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin | Streaming: HBO Max
As far as sci-fi sequels go, Dune: Part Two is arguably one of the best, standing alongside Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Aliens. With source material as idiosyncratic as Herbert’s Dune, there was the wild and wonderful second half of the book waiting for Villeneuve to bring to life.
Part Two depicts Paul Atreides’ unity with Chani and the Fremen to aid him on his path for revenge, while also dealing with unnerving visions of a dark future. It’s power and spice and everything nice (or nasty, if the Harkonnens and Sardaukar are anything to go by). Again, though Herbert has written a novel laced with complex characters and an incredibly detailed plot, Villeneuve uses his craft to make it extremely palatable, without losing any of the grandeur.
Dune: Part Three (known previously as Dune: Messiah) is currently in production, marking the third and final instalment to Villeneuve’s work on the franchise. He’s got a pretty busy slate coming up, including, of course, Mr Bond, but, if the past two instalments are anything to go by, we can’t wait for the final chapter.
