Is Dune 3 coming sooner than expected? We may not have to wait too long for the film's release

It looks like Dune 3 will have a cinema release. Warner Bros. has officially announced that December 18, 2026 a new film by director Denis Villeneuve is due to be released.

This film is being released by the studio as Events while a report by Deadline According to Villeneuve, he is actually positioning Dune 3 for that date. The Hollywood Reporter also claims to have heard that the director now wants to tackle the end of his sci-fi trilogy earlier than originally planned.

Why Dune 3 will be released in 2026 earlier comes

Villeneuve previously hinted that he wanted to take a break from the sci-fi universe after the strenuous filming of both Dune parts. With the film adaptation of Messiah, the director is not under any time pressure anyway, as the novel is set 12 years after the events of its predecessor.

Villeneuve also has a whole handful of new film and series projects in the works that are currently keeping him busy. Villeneuve has been working on the script for Dune 3 since the end of 2023 at the latest. According to an established industry insider, Warner Bros. was initially aiming for a theatrical release of Dune 3 in 2027.

However, please note: The alleged release date for Dune 3 has not been officially confirmed at this time! However, if the reports from reliable sources turn out to be true, then we will be seeing a duel between two real sci-fi giants at the end of 2026.

By the way: A prequel series entitled Dune: Prophecy will start in autumn 2024. There is no specific release date yet and no streaming platform for Germany has been set. But there is already a first trailer:

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Dune: Prophecy – The first trailer for the prequel is here and promises great intrigue

Does Dune 3 compete against Star Wars 10?

If Dune 3 does indeed launch on December 18, 2026, the film will be in direct competition with a new Star Wars film: Disney (in the USA) has currently scheduled the next Star Wars project for the cinema for the same date.

The Mandalorian & Grogu will be released first on May 22, 2026. The next Star Wars film will follow on December 18, 2026which may be Daisy Ridley's return as Rey, directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Ms. Marvel).

The cinema year 2026 should be a real feast for sci-fi fans in the cinema, unless there are one or two postponements. In any case, it will be exciting.

You can read what else you can look forward to in terms of Star Wars or new sci-fi films using the links above. We have already summarized the most important news from the cinema industry for you.