'Dune' filmmaker Denis Villeneuve says he "would not be surprised" if Zendaya becomes a director

In the latest installment of the Director's Guild of America's Director's Cut podcast, Steven Spielberg heaped praise on Dune franchise director Denis Villeneuve, ranking him with some of the most visionary directors of all time, including George Lucas, Stanley Kubrick and Oppenheimer's Christopher Nolan. 

Spielberg also asked Villeneuve which one of his Dune cast members he could see passing the filmmaking torch to one day, and without hesitation, Denis pointed to Zendaya.

"The truth: There's someone ... who spent a lot of time behind the camera, listening, listening: Zendaya," the filmmaker said.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he continued. "She's so clever. ... She's brilliant, and such a strong presence. And she was always on set, even when she was not shooting, just sitting between [cinematographer] Greig [Frasier] and I and just listening, listening, listening."

He added, "So I would not be surprised that one day we learn that she wants to go behind [the camera]."

Spielberg then pretended to write himself a reminder: "See if Zendaya is available to direct an $8 million [film]," the legendary filmmaker said, drawing laughs.

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