“Dune: Part Three” is set to release in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026, and it’s the last time Denis Villeneuve will direct a “Dune” movie.

Despite this, he has said that he is open to other directors taking his place, arguing that his ‘Dune’ adaptations are not a conventional trilogy. Villeneuve stated that “Dune: Part One” and “Dune: Part Two” were a “diptych” that served as two distinct halves of Frank Herbert’s first “Dune” novel. In contrast to this, the director shared that “Dune: Part Three” will have a distinct identity from the other two.

Many directors, including Ridley Scott (‘Alien’), said that Frank Herbert’s novels were impossible to put on screen. Their extremely dense world building, elaborate political schemes and usage of inner monologues made it seemingly impossible to translate into a one or even two hour long film. However, Villeneuve cracked the code and directed what many fans argue to be the best “Dune” adaptations to date. In fact, despite the two hour runtime of both parts one and two, these films have grossed an international total of $1.1 billion, with “Dune: Part Two” being the seventh-most profitable film of 2024. 

According to lead star Timothée Chalamet, “Dune: Part Three” is set to take the most creative liberties from its source material. This is in line with Villeneuve’s statement that the third entry is going to have its own identity. Several deviations have been confirmed, and many have the potential to shift the overarching story of these movies entirely. 

The first major change will be in regards to the part of Chani (Zendaya). Although her exact role in “Dune: Part Three” is still speculative, it appears that Villeneuve has pitted Chani against Paul Atreides. This alteration would mean that she is going to take a more active role in the story, making this a major departure from Herbert’s original depiction of Chani. In the novel, she serves as Paul’s loyal concubine who ultimately dies in childbirth. Another noteworthy change is that “Dune: Part Three” will take place 17 years after the previous film opposed to the 12-year time skip in the original novels.

Another differentiation is the fact that “Dune: Part Three” is being marketed as the conclusion to its overarching narrative. Herbert, however, actually wrote six “Dune” novels, meaning that the third entry was far from the conclusion to the story. This means that Villeneuve is going to be concluding character arcs and the narrative as a whole, necessitating the addition of completely new plot points. One such plot point relates to Paul’s holy war against the houses. Despite the novel taking place after the battles, the most recent official trailer showed plenty of action scenes. This implies that moviegoers will get to see Paul’s conquest of the galaxy.

“Dune: Part Three” will begin IMAX-only showings on Dec. 14, 2026. The film will then roll out to all formats on Dec. 18, 2026. Despite creative differences between the movie and its source material, it’s projected to generate $1 billion in viewings and has already generated $10 million in advance ticket sales.