Dune 3 Denis Villeneuve Confirms ‘Dune: Messiah’ is in Development

The Dune franchise is getting bigger! Director Denis Villeneuve has been locked to helm Dune 3, which is tentatively named Dune: Messiah. Along with the occupied market, this third film will continue the story arc from the time of the second book and it will be like clockwork. Fans will go nuts over the dark and complex journey of the future Paul Atreides which will be featured in the new installment.

The film is going to be epic to tell the story of the Dune series, which will be set after Dune: Part Two, the one about to be released on March 1, 2024. As much as it is up in the air, Dune: Messiah, there is no time confirmed for the premiere of the film, after the reports, it which says it might come in late 2026 or early 2027.

What Will Dune 3 Be About?

Villeneuve revealed that Dune: Messiah will look at Paul Atreides’ troubles with power. The story will be set 12 years after Dune: Part Two ends. Paul, now Emperor, will run into powder kegs caused by the political and religious factions. The film will address the idea of power, destiny, and the thou fulfilling the purpose of the rest of us.

Villeneuve told in an interview how he sees the story. “Dune: Messiah will elucidate the effects of Paul’s judgment. A more grey and intimate drama will unfold on the screen,” he expressed. The filmmaker also mentioned that Dune: Messiah might be his last time around in the universe of Dune. He is planning to finish his own trilogy.

Who Will Return for Dune: Messiah?

Although the full cast has not been confirmed, key actors are expected to be on the final lineup.

• Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
• Zendaya as Chani
• Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
• Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck

The biggest gossip is that Jason Momoa will be back as Duncan Idaho. In Dune: Messiah, Idaho is revived as a ghola (a type of clone). This could be their way of paving the road for Momoa to reprise his role.

Production and Release Date

According to the information from the insiders, Dune: Messiah pre-production has already started. Filming is planned for the middle or end of 2025. This view is harmonious with the timeline Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment has in mind.

If they manage to maintain the same rhythm in production, Dune 3 will be showed in theaters in December 2026. Nevertheless, untimely work on the script or filming could spoil all the dates and Dune will be released next year, 2027.

Will There Be More Dune Movies?

Denis Villeneuve has been clear on the fate of his Dune saga, considering Dune: Messiah as the last movie. In any case, there are more novels in the series of Frank Herbert the author of the original material. Provided that Dune 3 will win over audiences, can be, WB give the rights to new directors to try to write him differently and maybe even take on new storylines not originally written by Herbert. Warner Bros. will continue adapting Herbert’s work by hiring different directors if Dune 3 becomes a success.

Among these are film adaptations of Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune that the audiences are looking forward to. These are the stories that continue the legacy of Paul Atreides and bring more light to the world of Arrakis.

Sci-fi franchise Dune became the most ambitious and high-quality series in the most recent times. Dune’s fantastic visual and intellectual quality have attracted the world audience to itself.

Since Dune: Part Two will be released in March 2024, the hype for Dune: Messiah has been increasing. Fans will have to remain patient, though, as official release dates are yet to be announced. However, one thing is valid—Paul Atreides’ journey is not even close to over.

We will be on the lookout for updates throughout the production of Dune 3!