Dune's third film in the franchise has landed its release window, though fans will have to wait at least a couple of years.
Following the huge critical and commercial success of Dune: Part Two, a third film was greenlit by Warner Bros, with director Denis Villeneuve reportedly set to adapt Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel, Dune Messiah.
After rumours of a release date had been circulating, it seems we are now closer to a final date, with the IMAX Corporation confirming that a currently untitled Dune film from Villeneuve is scheduled for release in 2026.
This would seemingly align with a previous report, which stated that Villeneuve's next movie – though not officially confirmed to be in the Dune franchise – was scheduled to be released on December 18, 2026.
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The filmmaker, who has also directed Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, recently spoke with Digital Spy about the potential of a third film, revealing that the project was still in its infancy as he was writing the script.
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"We are in early stages. We are in the right direction," he said. "There's a lot of work that has been done, but there's a lot of work that needs to be done in order to have something solid to shoot."
These sentiments were echoed by Legendary Entertainment CEO Josh Grode, who shared that the outstanding success of Dune: Part Two would mean that the company would have complete faith in Villeneuve.
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"I think everybody is very excited and really enjoying this moment, and if Denis gets the script right and he feels that he can deliver another experience on par with what we've just completed, then I don't see why not," he said.
"We have to have all creative stakeholders aligned and support the vision."
Dune 3 is set to be released on December 18, 2026.
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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
