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Dune 3 is arriving later this year – and it's already shaping up to be an epic conclusion to Denis Villeneuve's trilogy. We've had a first trailer as well as details of an extended look at Cinemacon as the release date gets ever closer. Taking place after a huge time jump, the threequel will follow Paul Atreides as his quest for power leads to corruption.
There are some new faces this time around (hello Robert Pattinson), as well as some big changes from Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah book. However, at it's heart, the new movie will act as a fitting farewell to the characters we've grown to love over the past five years. Timothée Chalamet will be back, alongside Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Javier Bardem and Jason Momoa (details on how he's returning below...).
Dune 3 release date
- The Dune 3 release date is December 18, 2026.
- Filming wrapped for the film on November 11, 2025.
- So far, production is on schedule, and no delays or release changes seem likely.
Dune: Part Three is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026, aka Dunesday, as Avengers: Doomsday is set to release on the same day.
The threequel began filming in mid- to late summer 2025, with production wrapping in November last year, according to lead star Timothée Chalamet.
Dune 3 plot speculation
- Currently, there is no official plot synopsis for Dune: Part 3, but it will be based on Frank Herbert's 1969 novel Dune Messiah.
- There will be over a decade-long time jump from the events of Dune: Part 2, where Paul Atreides is now the Emperor and rules most of the universe.
- First footage from CinemaCon gives us our best guess yet at what the story will be.
Dune: Part Three does not have an official plot synopsis yet, but we do know it will be based on Herbert's novel of the same name. Most notably, the story features a huge gap from the events of Dune: Part Two.
Per the logline of the novel, Paul Atreides has ruled as Emperor for 12 years, and has conquered most of the known universe. However, the religious devotion he inspired has caused the death of 61 billion people across the universe.
The first teaser trailer and the CinemaCon footage have shed a bit more light on what we can expect the story of the third movie to be as well. Per Variety, early footage confirmed that we'll pick up with Paul at the height of his power. At one point, he's told by Momoa's resurrected Duncan Idaho, "You have conquered the galaxy. You have destroyed thousands of worlds. I think you are way beyond redemption."
Other details from the footage show that Zendaya's Chani will have a beefed-up role compared to the novel. Here she is seen fighting against Paul, with a confrontation between them on the battlefield teased. The movie will also begin with an epic battle, which will mark the beginning of Paul's "Holy War".
Meanwhile, the teaser trailer didn't reveal a great deal of plot, but did tease a much-changed Paul...
There are lots more interesting things that happen in Dune: Part Three, but in order to avoid spoilers, we won't go into those in depth here. If you want to know more about the exact plot details – that Dune 3 may or may not follow – read our breakdown of what might happen, according to the books.
Dune 3 cast
- Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh are all confirmed to be returning for the new Dune movie.
- Newcomer Robert Pattinson is also confirmed to star as Scytale.
- Anya Taylor-Joy will also return, following her cameo in Dune 2.
Dune 3 will feature most of the major cast returning, including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Javier Bardem. They'll be joined by several newcomers, including Robert Pattinson as Scytale, Jason Momoa returning as Duncan Idaho's clone, and Anya Taylor-Joy in a beefed up role as Alia Atreides, following her cameo in Dune 2. We don't yet know if Josh Brolin's Gurney Halleck or Léa Seydoux's Lady Margot Fenring will return.
The full cast is as follows:
- Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
- Zendaya as Chani
- Robert Pattinson as Scytale
- Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
- Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan
- Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho
- Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam
- Javier Bardem as Stilgar
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides
- Nakoa-Wolf Momoa as Leto II Atreides
- Ida Brooke as Ghanima Atreides
Is there a Dune 3 trailer?
Good news, we finally have a trailer for Dune: Part Three, which you can watch for yourself above!
The teaser came our way on March 17, 2026, and gave us our first look at Pattinson's villain Scytale. We also got to see some new scenery and teasers of some very intense battles. It's all very impressive, and I highly recommend watching it when you have the time. I'll also keep you updated as and when any more trailers drop in the future.
Is Dune 3 the final movie in the franchise?
- Dune: Part Three may not be the last Dune movie in the franchise.
- Dune: Part Three will be the last Villeneuve-directed movie, though.
- Currently, no fourth Dune movie has been announced.
Dune: Part Three has not been announced as the final movie in the Dune franchise, and Herbert does have several more novels that can be adapted. However, it will be the final movie helmed by Villeneuve.
The director has been adamant about this for a long time, and recently reiterated this in a new interview. Speaking to The Wrap, he was asked to confirm if this would definitely be his final movie. "Yes. After that, it would become unhealthy," he replied.
You can stream Dune now on HBO. Check out our guides to the best HBO movies and the best HBO shows to watch now.
