The 2026 movie calendar would look very different without Steven Spielberg. He helped define the modern blockbuster and set the standard for large-scale sci-fi storytelling decades ago. So when he talks about what he’s watching now, it tends to carry some weight. Well, someone better check on Denis Villeneuve because after he hears Spielberg’s glowing thoughts about his Dune Movies, he’s probably going to be feeling a particular sort of way.
As it turns out, Steven Spielberg has been paying close attention to Denis Villeneuve’s book-to-screen adaptations of the Dune series. And he’s not just a casual viewer. In a recent interview with Empire, the E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial director made it clear he sees the French-Canadian moviemaker’s take on Frank Herbert's classic series of novels as something special. He explained:
