Dune trailer has arrived – and it's got worms

The first Dune trailer is here! The teaser for director Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic dives into the sandworms and sandstorms of Arrakis and gives us a chance to finally see the full cast – which includes Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, and a bearded Oscar Isaac – in action.

The trailer sees Chalamet's Paul Atreides putting his hand within the "pain box" and having visions of a future where his family no longer rules the planet. Those visions soon come true, and we get quick shots of Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, and Josh Brolin. Watch above.

The Dune reveal took place on Twitter Movies, hosted by Stephen Colbert. You can watch the trailer above but, crucially, we also got some more info on lead Timothee Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. It’s especially useful for those not familiar with Frank Herbert’s original work and want a taste of what to expect later this year.

“Paul Atreides is a young man, facing extraordinary circumstance extraordinary struggles trying to navigate with integrity with honour, with faith in the tradition of House Atreides and Duke Leto, his father,” Chalamet said. “Paul sees that there's a potential that he's on a path greater than he understood that perhaps he is not... simply a regular man.”

For Villeneuve, Chalamet was the perfect choice for the rich, complex role that Paul offers. “Timothy has many qualities among them something there's a deep, deep intelligence in the eyes, and he has a whole soul. I had the impression when you talk with Timothee that he lives many lives, and it's something that really touched me, and at the same time he looks so young on camera, so that contrast of having someone that seems to have a lot of experience. And at the same time being like, in the middle of his teenage years, is Paul Atreides.”

If you want more Dune – and who doesn’t? – we’ve got a short description here of the different Dune trailer that was attached to recent screenings of Tenet in some regions: Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa and a mysterious pain-inducing box all feature.

Dune is set for release worldwide on December 18.

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.