The Real Reason Dune Doesn't Have Post-Credit Scenes

There's a familiar scene people witness almost every time they go to the movies, and it's not one they see on the big screen. Instead, it's the moment when a movie's credits begin to roll and a number of people throughout the theater all pull out their phones in order to Google one very simple question: "Is there a post-credits scene?"

Technically speaking, post-credits scenes have existed for decades. The very first appeared way back in 1966 in "The Silencers," a film where Dean Martin plays a spy named Matt Helm. In fact, much like the modern-day post-credits sequences we've come to know, the final moments of "The Silencers" announce and promote the film's sequel, "Murderers' Row."

Right now, the movies we usually expect to see a post-credits sequence in are of the superhero variety. That's because both Marvel and DC have made it a habit of placing not just one, but multiple scenes both during and after the credits sequences of their various movie and TV titles. As a result, audiences have gotten so used to there being an extra scene at the end of blockbuster movies, that many just assume most will have one.

However, "Dune" is one major 2021 movie that audiences should not expect to have a post-credits scene, and director Denis Villeneuve has a very specific reason why he didn't include one at the end of the film.

There are plenty of reasons for there to be at least one post-credits scene at the end of "Dune." For one thing, we already know there's going to be a TV series called "Dune: The Sisterhood" all about the Bene Gesserit, and a post-credits scene could easily set that up. Alternatively, while no "Dune" sequel has been officially greenlit yet, we do know that the film was created with the intention of a sequel being made to it. Therefore, unless the first film does catastrophically bad, a "Dune" sequel seems all but guaranteed. Considering that most genre films usually set their sequels up with a post-credits sequence, it'd be reasonable to assume "Dune" would as well.

However, despite all the reasons why "Dune" could have a post-credits scene, it ultimately doesn't. The reason? Denis Villeneuve. "I don't like post-credits scenes," the "Dune" director explained in an interview with NME. "There is a very specific final emotion that I was looking for with the final frame [of the film]and I don't want to mess with that. So no, I don't use post-credits scenes. I've never done that and I would never."

To his credit, Villeneuve's decision to allow "Dune" to actually end with its credits does make sense. He's also absolutely right that none of his previous films, including "Blade Runner 2049" and "Arrival," have required post-credits scenes to make them better — arguably, they would've just made those movies worse. Now, audiences can rest easy knowing they can book it out of the theater as soon as the "Dune" credits start to roll without having to worry about missing anything.

"Dune" hits theaters and HBO Max on October 22.