The first trailer has arrived for the third installment in the Dune saga. Director Denis Villeneuve successfully adapted Frank Herbert’s previously considered unfilmable novel in two parts and now brings Dune: The Messiah to the big screen.
A moody trailer has been released, revealing Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as the emperor of the intergalactic empire, but facing fierce enemies due to the holy war waged in his name. The trailer, which runs for over two minutes, also reveals that Chani (Zendaya) is expecting Paul’s child. Robert Pattinson and Anya Taylor-Joy also appear in the trailer alongside returning cast members.
Filming for Villeneuve’s film took place in part in Budapest, and it will debut in American theaters on December 18th, the same day as Deadpool & Wolverine. However, Dune has a competitive edge, having secured exclusive screening rights in IMAX theaters.
The first Dune film was a major success in 2021, receiving ten Oscar nominations and winning six, including an Oscar for Hungarian production designer Zsuzsanna Sipos, alongside Patrice Vermette. The story ended roughly halfway through the book, and it remained uncertain whether director Denis Villeneuve would be able to make a sequel, but the studio eventually gave the green light. You can read our review of the first film here.
Finally, in February 2024, the second part of Dune arrived in theaters, albeit with a slight delay due to the Hollywood actors’ strike. This installment concluded the first book, and while Villeneuve indicated he would be happy to add Dune Messiah as a third part, it was not certain that the studios would agree. However, given the massive success of the second film, there was no question that the Canadian director would find support to complete the ambitious project. You can read our review of the second film here.
