Dune 3: what we know about the sequel of the saga

by Nathan Merchadier.

Dune: Part Two, a monumental box office success

The beginning of 2024 was undeniably marked by the release of Dune: Part Two, which benefited from a massive international promotional campaign.

Beyond the successful press events featuring the film’s impressive cast, the second chapter of the Dune saga (based on the work of author Frank Herbert) was a true box office hit, surpassing 4 million admissions in France alone and grossing over $700 million worldwide.

Led by Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, with Léa Seydoux, the enigmatic Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem, the film unfolds as a sci-fi epic steeped in Shakespearean revenge.

Now available on DVD and on demand, the film leaves fans wondering: when will Dune: Messiah hit theaters? According to the latest updates, it may arrive sooner than expected…

Indeed, Denis Villeneuve told the American outlet Deadline that he “would return behind the camera as soon as he could” to shoot the final installment of the saga adapted from Frank Herbert. “I’m deep in the writing process,” he added, carefully avoiding the term Dune 3.

Will Dune: Messiah, the final chapter of the saga, be starring Robert Pattinson?

In an interview with Time Magazine last January, Denis Villeneuve stated that Dune: Messiah would be his last film set in the Dune universe.

And while the cast of the upcoming feature has yet to be officially confirmed, it is likely that the main actors from the previous installments will return. Timothée Chalamet, Charlotte Rampling, and Anya Taylor-Joy could interpret their former roles in this highly-anticipated third chapter.

On April 8th, the American media Deadline reported that another major actor might be joining the cast of Dune: Messiah. According to the publication, Denis Villeneuve has called on Robert Pattinson to join the project. But for which role? The Hollywood Reporter suggests that the actor, recently seen in Mickey 17 (2025), may be set to play the film’s original antagonist, Scytale.

Will Timothée Chalamet become father in the last opus of the Dune saga?

Inspired by Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune Messiah, the third chapter in the saga is expected to once again feature Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides. Now emperor, he will face his enemies, both from inside and outside the walls of his palace.

On Wednesday, June 18th, 2025, word came that two important members of the Atreides family could be added to the cast. A major development, as Timothée Chalamet’s character may become a father in the final installment of the saga. According to the American media Deadline, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa (Jason Momoa’s son) and actress Ida Brooke (seen in the series Silo and The Primrose Railway Children) are set to play the children of Paul Atreides and Chani (played by Zendaya).

Finally, according to the latest information, the famous Hans Zimmer, who composed the scores for the first two films, may also create the soundtrack of this highly-anticipated Dune: Part Three…

The film Dune 3, scheduled for 2026

According to production company Warner Bros., Denis Villeneuve’s new film is expected to be released in U.S. theaters on December 18, 2026. Filming could even begin in June, according to an American reporter. However, it remains to be seen whether this film will indeed be Dune: Messiah, as the Canadian director is also reportedly working on a film adaptation of the thriller Nuclear War: A Scenario (2024) by American author and journalist Annie Jacobsen.

In the meantime, Dune fans can look forward to revisiting Frank Herbert’s dystopian universe in the series Dune: Prophecy (releasing late 2024 on Max), which centers on the Bene Gesserit clan and serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s films.

The film Dune: Messiah (2026) by Denis Villeneuve does not yet have an official release date.