Posted in: Dune, Legendary, Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: dune: part three

Dune: Part Three – Paul Has Been "Impacted By Years Of Leadership"

Dune: Part Three Timothée Chalamet says that the film features a Paul "who's been impacted by years of leadership and carries that weight."

We're about a year away from another Denis Villeneuve directed Dune movie after it seemed like we were going to have to wait for a little while to return to this world. That wait wasn't exactly a bad thing; it gave everyone involved time to do something else and relax, but the time period between the first and second book is signifcant so if there was ever a time where we could wait a few years between sequels, it was this one, Which it why it's extra funny that despite Villeneuve saying he needed a break, Dune: Part Three, the adaptation of Dune: Messiah, will be here before we know it. That time jump is essential in several ways, and the events that have transpired, specifically for the main characters and Paul Atreides, between the two stories are significant. That significance is something that star Timothée Chalamet touched on while speaking to GamesRadar+, saying, "Without giving too much away about Dune: Part Three, but I am playing older. And also someone who's been impacted by years of leadership and carries that weight. It's different."

In many ways, the second book is more like an extended prologue where the subtle themes of the first book are really hammered home in a way that [hopefully] audiences won't miss the point. The first two films were rather cohesive in terms of tone and even shortened the timeline of events. Now we have a jump where a lot of character development is going to happen off-screen, and Chalamet was asked how those things will impact the tone of Dune: Part Three. 

"I don't want to say too much," Chalamet replied. "But what I will say is Denis' been so incredibly spot on about realizing the challenge. I mean, a lot of the creative conversations Denis and I had – which are really his creative corner, and worldview and script development that I really have little to do with – were well aware of the challenges of making a third film. And I thought it was inspiring from an artist's point of view, not necessarily from an acting one, but from an artist's point of view, to go, 'Wow, look at this guy really meet the challenges of a third film head on, when the first two have been well-received'."

Production on Dune: Part Three wrapped last month, and while we might get one image or something for a 2026 preview, it's probably going to be a little while before any footage drops online.

Dune: Part Three Went From "Someday" To "Next Day" Overnight

When Dune: Part Two was released, director Denis Villeneuve was sending some mixed signals, if we're being honest. On the one hand, he wanted a very well-deserved break before tackling a possible third Dune film, which was completely understandable. These films are massive and were shot fairly close together, not to mention COVID-19 got in the way of post-production on the first film and pre-production on the second. Then he would turn around and say how the script for Dune: Messiah was almost done, or Hans Zimmer would say he was already writing music for the film despite it not actually being greenlit by anyone, and Villeneuve insisting he needed a break.

It turns out that you can praise someone so much that they end up doing the opposite of what they said they would do. Dune: Messiah was officially confirmed to be in development in April 2024, but there is no confirmed release date, though it is speculated that it is December 2026. In February 2025, Villeneuve confirmed the love the second film got did play a part in him deciding not to take a (still well-earned) break, saying he "was really moved by the way Part Two was received by cinephiles around the world, and I felt an appetite and a desire to see more and a responsibility to finish that story."

Despite having ample opportunity to do so, Warner Bros. did not address the Dune: Messiah shaped elephant in the room during its CinemaCon presentation in April, which was a shame. We received few confirmations leading up to the production start date in summer 2025. In March 2025, Jason Momoa revealed that he is returning and sharing his thoughts on spoilers for books older than most of the audience. Another casting report that circulated in April 2025 suggested that Robert Pattinson was being considered for the role of Scytale. Initially, it was reported that production was scheduled to start in June, but filming began on July 8, 2025. The official title will be Dune: Part Three, not Dune: Messiah. Dune: Part Three will be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.

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