Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg is making a highly anticipated return to the science-fiction genre with his upcoming film “Disclosure Day,” set to release this summer. As part of his promotional tour, Spielberg has openly lauded Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” films, declaring them among his all-time favorite science-fiction movies. Specifically, he expressed profound admiration for “Dune: Part Two,” calling it the best film Villeneuve has ever directed, and eagerly anticipates the release of “Dune: Part Three,” which is based on Frank Herbert’s “Dune Messiah” and is slated for later this year.

Spielberg’s praise for Villeneuve’s epic adaptations extends beyond recent viewings; he regards them as seminal works within the genre. “Recently, I’ve loved the ‘Dune’ movies. They are among my favorite science-fiction movies, not just recently, but of all time. Especially the second film,” Spielberg stated during an interview with Empire magazine. He elaborated on his appreciation for Villeneuve’s meticulous work, drawing a parallel between Villeneuve’s fidelity to Frank Herbert’s novels and Guillermo del Toro’s respectful adaptation of Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” emphasizing the honor paid to the original literary works.

This is not the first time Spielberg has vocalized his high regard for the “Dune” franchise. Following the theatrical release of “Dune: Part Two,” he participated in a Q&A session with Villeneuve at the Directors Guild of America, where he unequivocally described the sequel as “one of the most brilliant science-fiction films I’ve ever seen.” During this event, Spielberg recognized Villeneuve as one of the elite “builders of worlds,” placing him alongside cinematic luminaries such as Georges Méliès, Walt Disney, Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, Ray Harryhausen, Federico Fellini, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, Peter Jackson, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, and Guillermo del Toro. He also singled out the iconic scene of surfing the sandworms as “one of the greatest things I have ever seen. Ever!”

The critical acclaim for “Dune: Part Two” was widespread among top directors. Christopher Nolan, who moderated an FYC conversation with Villeneuve, praised the film as “a miraculous job of adaptation.” Nolan highlighted how Villeneuve managed to not only condense but also expand and deepen the narrative complexities of the second half of Herbert's book, creating an incredible conclusion that burrowed further into the world-building beyond the original text. Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” is scheduled to open in theaters on June 12, while Villeneuve’s much-anticipated “Dune: Part Three” is set for release on December 18.