‘Dune’ Nears Its Epic Conclusion With ‘Part Three’ Trailer

David Lynch barely completed one Dune movie, and when he finished it, it was, well, not his finest work. Some observers thought Denis Villeneuve would be lucky to finish both halves of his adaptation of Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel, especially in the age of Covid. He made Dune: Part One, then waited to see if it was enough of a hit to warrant the budget for a Part Two.

Somehow, Villeneuve not only finished his two-part Dune, he managed to convince Warner Bros. to pony up the dough (and spice) for a third film concluding the story, inspired by Herbert’s sprawling and strange Dune sequel novel, Dune Messiah.

The new film continues the story of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides years after the events of Dune: Part Two. No longer a young and idealistic leader looking to avenge his father’s death, he is now the ruler of the entire universe — and not one who has lived up to his earlier high-minded ideals. That sets up a major battle involving his former love Chani (Zendaya), and his resurrected friend Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa). (Momoa’s return is more complicated than that, at least if the film is faithful to Herbert’s book, but let’s just keep things simple here.)

Check out the trailer for Dune: Part Three below. Once again, it looks like Warners spared no expense on this lavish sci-fi extravaganza.

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There are a slew of new images for the film as well.

Here is the new poster for the film:

Warner Bros.

And here is its official synopsis:

Dune: Part Three is set nearly two decades after Paul Atreides seized control of the Imperium. Now a ruthless Emperor, Paul must face the consequences of his reign as old allies return, terrifying new threats emerge, and betrayal lurks in every shadow. Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and the reappearance of his long-lost love, Paul is drawn into a sweeping conspiracy, with Chani at the heart of its unfolding mystery.  As rebellion brews and enemies close in, Paul must confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves the most.

Dune: Part Three is scheduled to open in theaters on December 18, the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, setting up the busiest weekend in movie theaters since 2023’s Barbenheimer hullabaloo.