Published: December 27, 2024

DUNE 3 gets a release date, sooner than expected

By Movieguide® staff

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Although director Denis Villeneuve stated he wanted a break from the DUNE universe before returning for a third film, Warner Bros. has now begun, and the film is officially scheduled to hit theaters in late 2026.

Villeneuve has previously stated that he wanted to take a break from the DUNE universe before returning to complete the trilogy. Although he had been working on a script for DUNE: MESSIAH before the release of the second film, he didn’t expect it to be ready for some time.

“I felt like it was a good idea to continue right after (DUNE). We were already designing, writing, etc. But it also meant I was on Arrkis for six years straight, and I think it would be healthy to step back a bit,” he told Empire Magazine in late March.

“I don’t know exactly when I will return to Arrkis,” Villeneuve admitted last December. “Maybe I’ll take a detour first just to get out of the sun. For my sanity I might do something in between, but my dream would be to be on this planet I love one last time.”

“The script is almost finished, but it’s not finished yet. It will take a little time,” he added.

Villeneuve now has an answer as to when he will return to Arrkis, as he only has two and a half years to deliver the final film. Even if it seems like he won’t get the reprieve he wanted, the expedited return makes financial sense.

After a delay due to strikes last year, DUNE: PART TWO hit theaters in March, grossed over $700 million worldwide and is currently the No. 2 film of the year. The franchise will continue to deliver new content to its fans via the prequel series DUNE: PROPHECY, scheduled to launch on Max later this year.

Instead of allowing anticipation for the franchise to lose steam during a dry spell in the release schedule, releasing DUNE: MESSIAH by 2026 encourages fans to wait just two years before returning for the final installment in the series.

Although the rapid turnaround of the third film raises some concerns about Villeneuve’s ability to fully flesh out the characters, his previous statements about the conditions he would consider in returning to the series may provide some relief.

Movieguide® previously reported:

DUNE: PART TWO Director and producer Denis Villeneuve wants to continue to raise the bar as he directs the third installment of the epic sci-fi series.

“For me, (DUNE: PART TWO) is much better than PART ONE,” Villeneuve said. “There’s something more alive in there. There is a relationship with the characters. I tried to achieve an intensity and quality of emotion that I didn’t achieve with PART ONE and that I achieved with PART TWO. I’m not saying the film is perfect, but I’m much happier with PART TWO than PART ONE.”

Given the critical and commercial success of DUNE: PART TWO, which has already grossed over $220 domestically and over $500 million worldwide, Villeneuve doesn’t want to lose momentum.

“If we go back, it has to be real, it has to be relevant. If I ever do DUNE MESSIAH it will be because it will be better than PART TWO,” he said. “Otherwise I won’t do it.”

Movieguide® nominated DUNE 2021 for a Teddy Bear Award®. Part of the review reads: