Dune 3 Officially Wraps Filming for 2026 Release; The Story So Far

Metaverse Planet November 13, 2025Last Updated: November 13, 2025

3 minutes read

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy is one step closer to completion. The long-awaited news has arrived for Dune 3, as filming, which began in July of last year, was officially completed this week. This puts the new film firmly on track for its December 18, 2026, release date, when it will finally meet moviegoers.

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The Future: What to Expect from Dune 3

The new film was initially referred to as Dune: Messiah when it was first announced. However, the latest news indicates the film will be released as Dune 3 or Dune: Part 3 instead. The most important reason for this change is that the film will not be limited to just the second book, Dune: Messiah. As Denis Villeneuve completes his trilogy, he is expected to use certain parts from the third book, Children of Dune.

Dune: Messiah takes place approximately 12 years after the first book (and the events of Dune: Part Two), during a time when Paul Atreides rules as Emperor. It is known that, like the novel it is based on, Dune 3 will feature this significant time jump.

In Dune 3, Timothée Chalamet (Paul Atreides), Zendaya (Chani), Florence Pugh (Princess Irulan), Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica), Josh Brolin (Gurney Halleck), and Javier Bardem (Stilgar) will return in their roles. The most significant new name joining them in the third film will be Robert Pattinson.

The Story So Far: The Rise of Emperor Paul Muad’Dib

To understand the stage set for Dune 3—which will explore the consequences of Paul’s holy war—here is a recap of the epic story from the first two films.

Dune: Part One (2021)

The Setup: House Atreides, led by the noble Duke Leto, is ordered by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV to take over stewardship of the desert planet Arrakis. Arrakis is the most valuable planet in the universe, as it is the only source of “the Spice” (Melange), a psychoactive substance that makes interstellar travel possible.
The Trap: This assignment is a trap. The Emperor secretly partners with the brutal House Harkonnen to ambush and destroy House Atreides, whom the Emperor sees as a threat.
The Protagonist: Duke Leto’s son, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), is a young man haunted by visions of the future. His mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), is a member of the Bene Gesserit sisterhood and has trained him in their ways.
The Fall: The Harkonnen attack, aided by the Emperor’s elite Sardaukar soldiers, is devastating. Duke Leto is killed, and House Atreides is shattered. Paul and Lady Jessica are forced to flee into the deep desert.
The Fremen: Paul and Jessica encounter the Fremen, the native warriors of Arrakis. Many Fremen, like their leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem), believe Paul is the “Lisan al Gaib,” a messiah prophesied to lead them to paradise, while others, like Chani (Zendaya), are skeptical.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

The Rise of Muad’Dib: Paul integrates into Fremen society. He learns their ways, earns their respect, and takes the Fremen name “Muad’Dib.” He and Chani fall in love, and Paul becomes a key leader in a guerilla war against the Harkonnen occupiers.
The Prophecy and The War: Lady Jessica travels south and becomes the Fremen’s Reverend Mother after drinking the “Water of Life.” She actively spreads the messianic prophecy, building a fanatical religious army that believes Paul is their holy leader. Paul, however, is terrified of this path, as his visions show it leads to a bloody Holy War (Jihad) across the universe in his name.
The Climax: Paul is eventually forced to embrace his destiny. He drinks the Water of Life, which expands his consciousness and fully unlocks his prescience. He leads the united Fremen army in a final assault on the Emperor and Baron Harkonnen.
The New Emperor: Paul confronts the Emperor and challenges him for the throne. He duels and kills the Harkonnen heir, Feyd-Rautha. To secure power, he demands the hand of the Emperor’s daughter, Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh). Despite Chani’s heartbreak, Paul takes the throne, but the other Great Houses refuse to recognize his ascension. The film ends as Paul commands his Fremen legions to attack the Great Houses, signaling the start of the great Holy War that Dune 3 will now explore.