Courtney Howard // Film Critic
You just can’t keep a good man down, as the phrase goes. Specifically, in the case of the DUNE movies, you can’t keep a visionary filmmaker like Denis Villeneuve from dreaming about creating a 3rd and final chapter in the franchise. Inspired by author Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, DUNE: PART THREE picks up after a 17-year time gap where we see Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) dealing with the consequences of having too much power and him trying to figure out how to get out of this cycle of violence. He’s also grappling with the love of his life Chani (Zendaya) and a jihad.
INCREDIBLE! The world of sandworms and spice comes alive again in Villeneuve’s capable hands and aided by a spectacular ensemble cast. My favorite moment in this trailer are Chani (Zendaya) letting her blue scarf (a symbol of her unity with Paul as we learned in DUNE PART TWO) go in the breeze, only for Paul to find it buried in the sand later. Alia Atreides (Anya Taylor-Joy) covered in blood is also magnificent. Crafts teams’ work looks epic and exhilarating, from the Linus Sandgren’s dazzling cinematography and Patrice Vermette’s stellar production design to Jacqueline West’s breathtaking costume designs. It’ll be a feast for the senses.
At the film’s recent global IMAX Fan Event held at the AMC Burbank 16, Villeneuve and Chalamet shared a few details with us journalists, influencers and fans about the making of and what to expect from our new favorite chapter in the DUNE Trilogy – as well as debuting the new trailer in IMAX and the insanely gorgeous, gripping and powerful opening sequence.
DUNE: PART THREE’s Official Synopsis
“Dune: Part Three is set nearly two decades after Paul Atreides seized control of the Imperium. Now a ruthless Emperor, Paul must face the consequences of his reign as old allies return, terrifying new threats emerge, and betrayal lurks in every shadow. Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and the reappearance of his long-lost love, Paul is drawn into a sweeping conspiracy, with Chani at the heart of its unfolding mystery. As rebellion brews and enemies close in, Paul must confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves the most.”
There’s An Enormity to the Emotions
Villeneuve said, “I said to my crew, ‘I don’t want us to walk in our own footsteps. I want us to bring the audience to the new parts of Arrakis – something fresh and new.’ It’s a very different beast. It’s more of a thriller and intense story. It’s more emotional, as well.” Chalamet mentioned, “Denis and Frank Herbert painted a nuanced picture – a warning tale – to beware of charismatic leaders.” He later added, “In the third film, it’s Denis’ mastery in weaving in storylines that weren’t explicit in the book. Perhaps Denis took the most creative liberty [with this adaptation].” He continued, when asked about the biggest creative risks taken here, “The sincerity of approach. The concepts in this movie are out there. I don’t think we ever had a comedic point of view about it. I took it at face value. The sincerity of the approach was never altered. This is a different movie. I think the first two are sort of siblings and this one really it’s own energy. I loved that. There’s a new tone for this.”
Paul Atreides Has Been Timothée Chalamet’s Most Personal Role
He shared, “This was the most emotive on an emotive level – not necessarily for the character, but living with this for so long and proud to live with it to work with Denis and this family. I felt there was a finality in the excercise that I was nostalgic about. I was 29 when we shot this. It felt like I was losing a part of me by getting though it.” He later elucidated, “There was finality in it. It was moving. I felt melancholic moving on from this incredible family and crew. I couldn’t believe how quickly the experience came and went – to make these three huge movies in 6 or 7 years was really not that long.”
Villeneuve is excited to show the world what Zendaya is Capable of in DUNE: PART THREE
He said, “It’s really impressive. The first movie is discovering a planet. Second one, they become an adult. And now they [Zendaya and Chalamet] created something very special. I was very impressed by what Zendaya brought to the movie.”
Timothée Chalamet Was Blown Away By Anya Taylor-Joy’s Performance
Chalamet, not wanted to reveal too much, explained about Taylor-Joy’s work in PART THREE, “Anya is something special in this movie. Maybe it was Linus’ cinematography style or Denis’ direction, but I think the first day, Anya stepped on set, just visually it was breathtaking. She’s unbelievable in this movie. She’s actually terrifying and amazing.”
Villeneuve Enlisted a Psychedelic Unit for Filming
He clarified, “I was raised watching experimental movies in Montreal. That’s where my cinematic education started, watching experimental short films in Canada. I wanted to bring that kind of experimental feeling to DUNE PART THREE. To do so, I created a special small unit of a few filmmakers and their task was to do a few experiments in front of the camera to bring some crazy, insane footage that I would use. That unit was called the Psychedelic Unit. And it was led by two young French Canadians and their task was to bring crazy images.”
DUNE: PART THREE Opens on a Battle Sequence
We were lucky enough to see the first opening minutes of the film, which shows Stilgar (Javier Bardem) and his sietch’s Fremen warriors descending on a mystery planet away from the desert climate of Arrakis. As their sleek cargo ships open on a rainy climate, they all take in the feeling of the rain droplets on their faces and the sounds water makes as they cautiously trudge out of their ships. Stilgar signals for all to drop to the ground as an opposing force fires with lasers upon their army. The intensity is akin to the descent on Normandy beaches in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, avoiding any reductive qualities that comparison might bring. It’s an intense, propulsive and highly emotional sequence where the enormity isn’t lost on viewers.
DUNE: PART THREE opens in theaters and IMAX® across North America on December 18, 2026 and internationally beginning 16 December 2026.
