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With the Oscars now in the rearview mirror, cinephiles can now turn all of our attention to the upcoming slate of 2026 films. Few new releases loom larger than “Dune: Part Three.” The first two entries in Denis Villeneuve‘s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic threaded an increasingly rare needle between critical acclaim and box office success. And while he maintains that the first two films complete his take on the story (it’s not a trilogy!), the upcoming third film will deliver an epilogue that draws heavily on Herbert’s first sequel, “Dune Messiah.”
If that wasn’t enough to intrigue fans, the combination of returning stars like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, and Anya Taylor-Joy — and the fact that it will be Villeneuve’s final directorial effort before he begins work on his James Bond reboot — should sway the fence sitters.
Members of the press were treated to an early preview of the “Dune: Part Three” trailer on Monday, with Villeneuve and his cast on hand to discuss the upcoming film.
“It happens many years later. It’s a very different movie from the two first ones,” Villeneuve said during the Q&A portion of the event. “I said to myself, ‘It’s a good idea to go [and] come back to this world, not by nostalgia, but by urgency.’ And to go there with a critical eye and not to be self-indulgent. And I said to my team that it will be a very different film, very different, a new movie, but with a different tone, with a different rhythm, with a different pace.”
Many “Dune” fans have noted that the “Messiah” source material veers significantly from the classic Hero’s Journey format seen in the first book. Paul Atreides’ dark side was hinted at in “Part Two,” but the increasingly esoteric sequels explore how saviors can turn into demagogues. While Villeneuve steered clear of specific plot details, he hinted at the story’s relevance to current events and teased that “Part 3” could be his most personal film yet.
“‘Dune Messiah’ is a book that is by far probably my favorite book of the series. It’s a very dark book, a beautiful book,” he said. “I will say this, it is one of my most personal films, if not my most personal film. So it’s a film that is very close to me and very contemporary.”
Warner Bros. will release “Dune: Part Three” in theaters on Friday, December 18. Watch the teaser trailer below.
Additional reporting by Marcus Jones.
English (US) ·