"Dune 3’" First Look Photos Released

The first look photos at “Dune: Part Three,” the epic finale of Denis Villeneuve‘s sci-fi trilogy, have been released.

The movie is currently on the release calendar for December 18, where it will face off against “Avengers: Doomsday.”

In 2024’s “Dune: Part Two,” which Villeneuve co-wrote with Jon Spaihts, Timothée Chalamet returned as the warrior prince and chosen one Paul Atreides, who continued his high-stakes journey with his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) on the dangerous desert planet of Arrakis.

Paul joined the native Fremen people and fell in love with a young warrior named Chani (Zendaya), as they fought for their freedom against the evil Harkonnen empire.

In the end, Paul defeats the Harkonnens and launches a holy war against the Great Houses with his Fremen army.

The sequel introduces new faces to the franchise, including Austin Butler as villain Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, daughter of Christopher Walken’s Emperor Shaddam IV. Léa Seydoux also debuted as Lady Margot of the Bene Gesserit.

Villeneuve said multiple times during the “Part Two” press tour that a third “Dune” movie would expand the roles for Pugh, Seydoux and Anya-Taylor Joy — who played the future, grown-up version of Paul’s unborn sister Alia — all of whom had brief appearances in the sequel. Josh Brolin’s Gurney Halleck and Jason Momoa’s Duncan Idaho will return for “Dune 3,” which also cast Robert Pattinson as the villain Scytale.

Legendary Pictures previously revealed in August 2024 that it was in development on a third “Dune” movie with Villeneuve back in the director’s chair.

The movie will be based on Frank Herbert’s second “Dune” novel, 1969’s “Dune Messiah.”

“Dune: Part Two” won two Oscars out of five nominations and grossed more than $714 million at the worldwide box office.

Before “Dune 2” even released, Villeneuve had confirmed in December 2023 that he was already working on the script for a potential third “Dune” movie.

“There’s a dream of making a third movie,” he said at the time. “It would make absolute sense to me.”

Composer Hans Zimmer is also returning to score “Dune 3.” “Denis comes in on the second day of shooting, and wordlessly comes in and puts ‘Dune Messiah’ on my desk,” Zimmer said. “I know where we’re going, and I know we’re not done.”