Dune: Part Three will pick up where Dune: Part Two left off, following Paul Atreides’ rise from prophetic leader to emperor. The story is based on Dune Messiah, Frank Herbert’s 1969 sequel, but the film drops the book’s title in favor of a more “straightforward” name.
Instead of adopting the original title, the studio has opted for numerical continuity, likely to maintain brand consistency and audience recognition. Villeneuve emphasized that this isn’t a trilogy in the traditional sense: “If I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity,” he told Variety.
Fans are taken aback by the title change, and many are taking to social media to express their discontent.
Interesting title pic.twitter.com/Qa3nsBOpJI
— Deaderine 💀 (@suriya_vijay123) July 8, 2025
The film officially started production yesterday, July 7, with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya returning to reprise their roles, alongside Jason Momoa, whose surprise reappearance has fans buzzing.
‘DUNE 3’ enters production today.
Starring Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson and Rebecca Ferguson. pic.twitter.com/uSlWUPYRRS
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) July 7, 2025
While Dune: Part Three will feature key sequences shot using IMAX cameras, it won’t follow Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which is being filmed entirely in the format. IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond initially suggested the entire film would use their proprietary cameras, but later clarification noted only select scenes would go that route.
“The public is really demanding it,” Gelfond said, noting that films like Mission: Impossible and F1 pulled up to 23% of box office revenue from IMAX screens alone.
Released earlier in 2024, Dune: Part Two was a box office juggernaut, earning over $711 million worldwide and surpassing its predecessor both financially and critically. Its success solidified the franchise’s place as a modern sci-fi epic and set high expectations for its follow-up.
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Villeneuve has repeatedly described the first two films as a “diptych”—a complete adaptation of Herbert’s first novel. This third film, while thematically tethered to the previous entries, is intended to chart its own course through the sands of Arrakis.
The release is expected to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, just in time to stake a claim on the holiday box office.
