Steven Spielberg Raves About Dune, Calls Zach Cregger’s Weapons a Nerve-Shredding Thrill

Sci-fi fans, start planning your 2026 binge. If you want futuristic thrills, there is seriously no shortage—between War Machine, Project Hail Mary, Dune: Part Three, The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Dog Stars, and Spielberg's own Disclosure Day, it kind of feels like genre cinema is making up for lost time, all at once. Critics and fans are loud as ever about what they like and hate, but it's not every day you get someone with Steven Spielberg's resume dropping hot takes about his favorites. But hey, he did, and honestly, his picks might surprise you.

Spielberg: All About Dune

So, here's the headline: Spielberg told Empire magazine that he's absolutely in love with Denis Villeneuve's take on Dune. We're talking 'all-time favorite' levels of love, not just 'recent movies I kinda liked.' Specifically, he singled out Dune: Part Two as not just the best of the series, but the best thing Villeneuve's ever made. Spielberg's exact words?

'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. I think [Part Two] is the best movie Denis [Villeneuve] has ever made. I cannot wait to see the third one. I'm sure he'll show it to me early. I'm such a fan of his.'

Imagine having Villeneuve slip you an early cut just because you enjoyed his last movie. Spielberg genuinely comes off like a true fan here.

Turns Out, Horror Also Has Spielberg's Attention

In the same chat, Spielberg also dropped some surprising love for Zach Cregger's upcoming horror flick Weapons. Spielberg is not really known for horror (unless you count the Spielbergian trauma of that melting face in Raiders...), but he confessed he has always wanted to take a swing at the genre. Still, movies like Weapons apparently scratch that itch so perfectly, he's not even tempted anymore. According to him:

'I haven't directed a horror film yet, and I've always wanted to, and someday I may. But there have been some great horror films out already that satisfy that itch. When I see a great horror film like Weapons, I don't have an itch I need to scratch. I see Weapons, and it doesn't make me want to make a horror film that's as scary or scarier than Weapons. It satisfies me so completely, it actually arrests my desire to someday make a really, really scary movie.'

Only Spielberg could say a movie is so good, it made him want to not make his own. Kind of a backwards compliment, but a mighty one.

What's Spielberg Cooking Up Next?

For everyone whose imagination is now running wild at the idea of a Spielberg horror film (and who could blame you, honestly?), there are currently no plans for him to jump into the genre. Instead, what we do get is Disclosure Day, his next big sci-fi movie. It lands in theaters June 17, 2026.

• Directed and co-written by Steven Spielberg (he co-wrote it with David Koepp, who knows his way around blockbuster scripts)
• Stacked cast: Josh O'Connor, Emily Blunt, Eve Hewson, Colman Domingo, Wyatt Russell, and Colin Firth, to name a few
• The plot? Someone manages to prove—like, legally and scientifically—aliens actually do exist. (Cue the government freakout, and maybe your own.)

Not much else has spilled out about the plot, but yes, Spielberg is still swinging for that big popcorn crowd-pleaser with brains.

And if anyone out there wants to imagine a Spielberg horror film—would he go hard R, or keep it in that sweet spot where you can traumatize a ten-year-old and still get a PG-13? Personally, I don’t see him making a slasher film anytime soon, but it's fun to speculate.

For now, file this under Spielberg: Still a Fanboy at Heart, and let's see if Villeneuve lets him peek at Dune: Part Three before the rest of us mere mortals get to buy tickets.