Advertisement
Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three has officially dropped the Dune Messiah subtitle, despite its direct inspiration from Frank Herbert’s second novel. The film will continue to follow Paul Atreides, portrayed by Timothée Chalamet, as he steps into his role as Emperor—one of the most pivotal shifts in the saga. This confirmation ends months of speculation about whether Villeneuve would stick to the original title or reshape the narrative to stand more independently.
The production, now underway in Budapest, sees the return of core cast members including Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, and Anya Taylor-Joy. Zendaya is currently leading the first stretch of the shoot in Hungary. Notably, Chalamet’s recent public appearance with Kylie Jenner in Saint-Tropez on July 5 has raised questions about his schedule, though it remains unclear whether he has since joined filming. Director Villeneuve is reportedly preparing the cast for a demanding, multi-location shoot that will span several months.
While there was early buzz suggesting the film might be shot entirely using IMAX cameras, recent updates clarify that only select sequences will receive the IMAX treatment. Unlike Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which is going full-scale IMAX, Dune: Part Three will use the format more sparingly—likely for immersive battle scenes or sweeping desert visuals.
An intriguing aspect of this third installment is the time jump hinted at through the casting of Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke as Leto II and Ghanima, the children of Paul and Chani. That detail alone signals the story will leap forward considerably from the events of Dune: Part Two, suggesting that the film may compress or reinterpret key moments from the source material.
What remains unclear is how faithfully Dune: Part Three will adapt Herbert’s complex and often philosophical novel. Dune Messiah is markedly more introspective and political than its predecessors, which could mean a tonal shift in the storytelling. Villeneuve has so far shown a willingness to balance fidelity with cinematic vision, so the final product may offer a streamlined but resonant take on Paul’s increasingly conflicted rule.
In essence, Dune: Part Three is shaping up to be a high-stakes continuation of an already ambitious saga—one that may challenge audiences even further while visually pushing the boundaries once again.