Summary

• Dune 3 is progressing faster than expected, signaling a swift conclusion to the trilogy. Denis Villeneuve is set to adapt Dune Messiah's story.
• Warner Bros. eyes a 2026 release for Dune 3, with signs pointing to a rapid turnaround. Villeneuve's next untitled movie may pave the way.
• The crucial time jump in Dune 3 is essential for character development, setting the stage for maturity and deeper connections.

Dune: Part Two's ending and showcasing his reign as the Emperor. Seeing this part of Paul's life and how Villeneuve will adapt more challenging source material makes Dune 3 quite exciting.

The development on Dune 3 has progressed much faster than anticipated, though. Villeneuve initially stressed his interest in taking a break from Arrakis and making an original sci-fi movie in between sequels. However, Warner Bros. and Legendary confirmed Dune 3 shortly after the box office success of Dune 2. With a script already reportedly near completion, I'm quite surprised by how quickly Villeneuve and others appear to be moving with the next installment. There is now an expected short turnaround for Dune 3 that hopefully won't change a key aspect of the story.

Dune 3 Is On Track To Come Out A Decade Too Early

Warner Bros. Is Hoping For A 2026 Release Date

Following Dune 2's success, Warner Bros., Legendary, and Denis Villeneuve appear to be plotting for Dune 3 to release in 2026. The signs of this began to emerge when Warner Bros. announced that Denis Villeneuve's next movie will release on December 18, 2026. Although the date is officially a placeholder for an untitled Denis Villeneuve movie, reports from the announcement revealed that the studios are internally prepping for Dune 3 to occupy this release slot. That would mean the film comes out only two and a half years after Dune 2.

Villeneuve making Dune 3 in less than three years after the prior film would align with Dune 2's development. However, the difference here comes with the source material the movies adapt. Dune 2 had to happen quickly because it picked up directly after Dune's ending. However, Dune 3 is an adaptation of Dune Messiah, and the book takes place 12 years later. That is why I thought it would make sense for the franchise if Villeneuve took a similarly long break before ending the trilogy. Now Dune 3 will happen about 10 years too early for that to work.

Dune 3 Has To Have A Time Jump To Tell Messiah's Story Right

Paul's Story Needs A Gap After Dune 2

It was always unlikely that the studios would agree to let Villeneuve wait 12 years to make Dune 3. But it is still paramount that the movie retains a significant time jump. Dune Messiah's story takes place 12 years after Dune so that Paul could be fully established as the new Emperor of the galaxy. It allows time to so he and Chani can begin thinking about starting a family. Meanwhile, the age of time plays a vital role in the creation of a rebellion against Paul and his Fremen jihad after the Holy War.

Since Dune Messiah is a less beloved book compared to Frank Herbert's first, there are surely going to be aspects of the story, character arcs, and more that are changed. The time jump is not one of the story details that can be eliminated. Even if the time jump has to be shortened to 6 or 7 years, which is closer to how much time will in real life between the first and third installments, Dune 3 will only work as a proper Dune Messiah adaptation if the universe and Paul are able to progress off-screen.

This will allow for Dune 3 to fully explore the state of the galaxy under Paul's rule and what it has been like for him to accept his newfound power. Completely ignoring the time jump will lessen the impact of Paul's arc and force various story elements to change. I have to think that Anya Taylor-Joy's Alia Atreides cameo in Dune 2 and Paul's vision of her is a direct sign that Dune 3 will have a time jump to explain Paul's sister being so much older.

Dune 3's Time Jump Will Help The Characters

The Characters Can Age Up With The Actors

Another reason why I want Dune 3 to keep the time jump is how it helps the characters. The first two movies never explicitly revealed how old Paul, Chani, or Irulan are, but each of them are teenagers in the book. The movies seemed to age them up slightly to for Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh playing them in their mid-20s. By the time Dune Messiah's story takes place, they should all be in their 30s and have over a decade of experience in their complicated political, romantic, and personal relationships.

Dune 3's expected main stars will be in their late 20s when filming likely begins

Dune 3 could get away with only a few years ing between movies to have the actors play the characters at appropriate ages for the book. However, the characters would still lack the longtime connections that I think are necessary to tell Dune Messiah's story. Any age of time will still allow Chalamet, Zendaya, Pugh, Taylor-Joy, and others to play their characters with more maturity and life experience than before. They aren't a group of rising stars in their early 20s anymore, and Dune 3 including the time jump means the characters can feel older and more established.