Third time's the charm: the sand dunes are churning yet again, with the release of the third installation to the Dune franchise creeping up this year, we've been fed to last a little longer with the first official trailer. In the meantime, for those of us who've been referring to the project as Dune 3 (or Dune Messiah, as the book is called), wie have a (very minor) change to get used to, with the film's official title now revealed as Dune: Part Three.

It also looks like fans' suspicions were right: in the middle of last year, they were speculating that lead Timothée Chalamet appeared to have shaved his head for the role, when he was spotted in Europe wearing a hat and bandana over his head, with what appeared to be some very short hair poking through...

So, in honour of these updates, everything we know about Dune: Part Three, below.

Watch the first official trailer

Catch up on the teaser trailer

What's the plot?

In the last two films, the director has remained faithful to the source material, so aficionados Frank Herbert's books can (hopefully) expect no ugly surprises. Following this logic, Dune: Part Three will propel the audience into the future twelve years ahead. Villains and antagonists will also be more of a nebulous area: Harkonnens are also notably absent from the plot of Dune Messiah. We might expect less in-fighting with sand snakes and more court intrigue in the form of lengthy diatribes.

Also important to note, speaking to Variety, Villeneuve said the film “will not be the completion of a trilogy."

“First, it’s important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych,” he explained of the first two Dune movies. “It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That’s done and that’s finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it’s not like a trilogy. It’s strange to say that, but if I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity.”

Who is in the cast?

The narrative continues with the interplanetary crew of fighters we've loved from the first film: Paul Atreides (played by Timothee Chalamet), Chani (Zendaya) and newly-betrothed Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh). There's also Austin Butler, Javier Bardem, Léa Seydoux, and Stellan Skarsgård.

The A-list cast has also grown by one this time around, with Robert Pattinson on board for the third chapter as the villainous Scytale. And Lady Jessica, portrayed by Rebecca Ferguson, is likely to join the rest, despite her character not being a part of the Dune Messiah book.

Is there a release date?

Yes, the film will be released in cinemas on December 18, 2026.