Summary
Despite previous reports that he would put his focus on a different project, Warner Bros. has set a release date for Denis Villeneuve’s next movie, which is said to beDune 3. The three-time Oscar nominee has been entrenched in the world of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi epic novel since splitting his 1965 novel into two films beginning with the 2021 hit, which he then followed up with 2024’sDune: Part Twoand extended to executive producing the upcoming prequel show,Prophecy. FollowingPart Two’s success, Villeneuve was said to be getting to workdevelopingDune 3, adapting the 1969 sequel novel,Messiah.
A few months afterDune: Part Twoexploded to mammoth success at the box office,WBhas announced that an untitled new movie from Villeneuve has been set for a August 09, 2025 release date. A report fromDeadlinefurther states that sources close to the studio and Legendary Pictures are saying the slot is being held forDune 3, with the script and casting processes still underway for what’s being described as the finale to the sci-fi epic universe. The news also comes alongside the announcement of a new Monsterverse movie being set for a June 29, 2025 release.
Dune 3 Happening So Quickly Isn’t Surprising (But It Is Worrying)
Though WB hasn’t explicitly confirmed that Villeneuve’s next movie will beDune 3, their desire to move ahead with the sci-fi franchise doesn’t come as much of a surprise followingPart Two’s success. Releasing a little shy of three years after its predecessor, the sequel has proven to be one of the biggest hits of the year thus far, having only just recently been dethroned as the highest-grossing movie of 2024 byInside Out 2, while also garnering further acclaim than its already well-received original. See howDune: Part Twocompares to the other Top 10 2024 releases at the box office and on Rotten Tomatoes below:
90%
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54%
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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
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Bad Boys: Ride or Die
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$179.4 Million
Reports thatVilleneuve’s next movieisDune 3do come as somewhat of a surprise, however, given it was announced in April 2024, a full month afterPart Two’s release, that his next project would actually be an adaptation of Annie Jacobsen’s nonfiction novel,Nuclear War: A Scenario. While some sources indicated he would make the movie afterDune Messiah, others stated it would come before it, seemingly pointing to the filmmaker wanting a brief break from the sci-fi epic universe before coming back for the threequel.
10 Most Exciting Things To Expect From Dune 3
Dune 3 is confirmed to be in development. Based on information from the novels, here are the main plot details and cast changes to be excited about.
Beyond the financial side of things, though,Villeneuve makingDune 3his next project does make sense from a creative standpoint. Not only has he previously confirmed that it would be his final installment in the franchise, but also that he was already underway writing the third movie in April 2024, pointing towards an effectively quick turnaround time between it andPart Two, as he previously did with the first two movies. Additionally, with over a year and a half until the untitled project’s release date, Villeneuve will offer the shortest gap betweenDunemovies yet for those eager to see the next chapter in the franchise.
Villeneuve’s first two Dune movies are available to stream on Max.
Dune: Part Three
Cast
Dune: Part Three continues the epic saga with Paul Atreides as Emperor Muad’Dib facing threats from political adversaries and internal betrayal. Amidst the turmoil, the stability of House Atreides is jeopardized, while Paul grapples with protecting his lover, Chani, and their unborn child from emerging perils.
