CULTURE

Everything to Know About Dune: Part Three

Robert Pattinson joins Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh for the final installment of Denis Villeneuve’s epic space opera.

by Claire Valentine McCartney
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Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya in 'Dune: Part Three.'
Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya in 'Dune: Part Three.' Photo courtesy Warner Bros

It may be television’s biggest morning with the Emmy nominations rolling in, but there’s big news in movies today, too: the first official trailer for Dune: Part Three has been released, and the clip promises a truly starry blockbuster worth a trip to the theater.

Taking place 17 years after the events of the last two films, Dune: Part Three wraps up the story of Atreides and Chani (Zendaya), with a few new characters joining the Dune universe. Here’s everything we know so far:

Is there a trailer for Dune: Part Three?

The first official trailer for Dune: Part Three was released on July 8 and offers an in-depth look at how the third installment will unfold. Chalamet’s Atreides and Zendaya’s Chani are at odds, with him having betrayed her on his quest for power. Watch the trailer below:

The first teaser for Dune: Part Three was released on March 17. It opens with Paul Atreides and Chani fantasizing about what they would name their future child: if it’s a girl, Ghanima, because “she would need to be strong, like her mother,” Paul says. And if it’s a boy, it should be Leto (after Paul’s father), because he would “have the wisdom of his grandfather,” Chani adds. The rest of the clip shows Paul preparing for war and facing off against the new villain Scytale (Robert Pattinson, sporting a bleached-blonde buzz cut). Watch the trailer below:

Who else is in the Dune: Part Three cast?

In addition to Chalamet, Zendaya, and Pattinson, several key characters will return. This includes: Jason Momoa as Hayt, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica (Paul’s mother), Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides (Paul’s little sister), and Isaach De Bankolé as Farok.

Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides

Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Zendaya as Chani

Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan

Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Robert Pattinson as Scytale

Warner Bros/YouTube

Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides

Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

What is the plot of Dune: Part Three?

Dune: Part Three is inspired by Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, and picks up 17 years after the “chosen one” Paul defeated the Harkonnens and became Emperor and messiah of the Fremen. His true love, Chani, is left betrayed after he marries Princess Irulan (Pugh) for power. Paul goes on to conquer the universe, and the book is a classic story about how power corrupts.

What has Villeneuve said about Dune: Part Three?

At a preview event for the first teaser, the director said Part Three would be markedly different from the first two. “If the first movie was more of a contemplation, like a boy exploring a new world, and the second one being a war movie, this one is more action-packed and tense,” he told the crowd, Variety reports. Paul, Villeneuve added, is “dealing with the consequences of having too much power, and he is trying to figure out how to get out of this cycle of violence. As an Emperor who can see the future, he’s kind of invincible. But there are people trying to overthrow him.”

Still, the director concluded that the story is ultimately “about Paul and Chani and them struggling with their relationship, [and] having the burden and incredible pressure from the world around them. There’s something about their love, through time, and the way they are, their relationship evolves.”

When is the Dune: Part Three release date?

Dune: Part Three arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.

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