When does “Dune: Part 3 ”come out? All about the sci-fi epic’s time jump, new characters, and more

Allison DeGrusheWed, March 18, 2026 at 3:36 PM UTC

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Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. PicturesKey Points -

Dune: Part Three picks up 17 years after the 2024 movie.

Returning stars include Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, with Robert Pattinson joining as the cunning Scytale.

The film hits theaters on Friday, Dec. 18.

Prepare to return to the harsh deserts of Arrakis.

Dune: Part Three marks the "epic conclusion" in Denis Villeneuve's sweeping sci-fi saga. At a special event on Monday, March 16, the acclaimed director teased that the film will chart new territory. "It will be a very different film, very different, a new movie, but with a different tone, with a different rhythm, with a different pace," he said.

"If the first movie was more of a contemplation, like a movie about a boy exploring a new world, and the second one being a war movie, this one is a thriller," he added. "It's a more action-packed and more dense film, more muscular than the two others."

Here's everything to know about Dune: Part Three, from the story to the star-studded cast and thrilling first teaser trailer.

What is Dune: Part Three about?

Timothée Chalamet as Paul and Zendaya as Chani in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Dune: Part Three is based on Frank Herbert's second book in his series, Dune Messiah. It features a major time jump, with Villeneuve revealing that the film takes place 17 years after the events of 2024's Dune: Part Two.

Speaking about the story, Villeneuve teased, "We see Paul dealing with the consequences of having too much power, and him trying to figure out how to get out of this cycle of violence. And, of course, he's an emperor who can see the future, so he's kind of invincible, and we follow people trying to overthrow him, and it's a quite intense story. But at its heart, it's still a love story. The heart beat of the film is still the relationship between Paul and Chani."

Is there a Dune: Part Three trailer?

The epic first teaser for Dune: Part Three was released on Tuesday, March 17. The clip opens with Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and Chani (Zendaya) talking baby names, hinting at her being pregnant.

"If we have a girl what should we name her?" she asks, to which Paul answers, "Her name should be Ghanima. She would need to be strong like her mother." When it comes to a boy, Chani says, "I would name him Leto, so he would have the wisdom of his grandfather."

But the peace doesn't last long. The teaser quickly cuts to raging battle sequences as Paul's holy war spreads across the galaxy. "War feeds on itself,” he reflects. "The more I fight, the more enemies fight back. I’m doing the best I can to protect my family."

Paul even seeks guidance from his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), but she reminds him that his father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), "never started a war."

Robert Pattinson as Scytale in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Fans also get a peek at several familiar faces. Fremen leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem), Paul's wife Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), and his younger sister Alia (Anya Taylor-Joy) all appear, while Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) makes a shocking return despite his death in the first film (fans of the books will understand how). We also finally see Robert Pattinson as the bleach-blonde, shapeshifting villain Scytale.

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The teaser closes with Paul, now sporting a buzzcut, gearing up for battle. "I'm not afraid to die," he says. "But I must not die yet."

Who's in the Dune: Part Three cast?

Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

The sands of Arrakis are crowded once again with returning heroes and villains. Chalamet, Zendaya, Ferguson, Momoa, Pugh, Taylor-Joy, Bardem, and Charlotte Rampling are all back for the third installment.

Taylor-Joy opened up about her character Alia at Monday's event, saying she "has a very intense blessing-curse situation. She carries the weight and the wisdom of generations and generations in her head. She's never in a singular conversation. It's kind of all everything, everywhere, all at once."

She added that her "love and devotion" to Paul defines her. "[He] is the only person who's ever made her feel like she makes sense. He's understood her from before she was even born, and she will do anything for him — to various degrees of insanity."

Jason Momoa as Hayt/Duncan Idaho in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

New additions to the Dune franchise include Isaach de Bankolé as Farok and Robert Pattinson as Scytale. Of his character, Pattinson said, "You can't really tell whose side he's on, which is kind of what makes him fun and interesting. It's an extremely fun character to play, and the look for it is quite extraordinary."

Another newbie is Momoa's son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, who plays Paul and Chani's son Leto II.

Speaking on the SmartLess podcast, Momoa couldn't hide his pride about his son's performance. "His first goddamn scene, I’m sitting there s---ting my pants," the actor joked, adding, "He's with Zendaya. I'm like, 'He's in it.' And I'm like, 'My baby, 16 years old.' And he just killed it. I'm just crying. I was a f---ing wreck. I was so proud of him."

When does Dune: Part Three come out?

Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Dune: Part Three is slated to hit theaters on Friday, Dec. 18.

Where can I watch Dune and Dune: Part Two?

Zendaya as Chani in 'Dune: Part Three'Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

Dune and Dune: Part Two are currently streaming on HBO Max.

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