Over the course of his career, Denis Villeneuve has established himself as one of his generation’s premier sci-fi filmmakers. His work on Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 is impeccable, but it was his adaptation of Dune where his standing as one of the defining sci-fi auteurs was truly cemented. Both Dune and Dune: Part Two are landmark achievements in the genre, bringing author Frank Herbert’s epic story to life in a way that full immerses audiences in the world of Arrakis, highlighted by remarkable craftsmanship and compelling performances. The success of those first two films means anticipation is quite high for Dune: Part Three, which is positioned as Villeneuve’s final installment in the franchise. Now, fans get a small taste of what the director has in store.
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Today, the first trailer for Dune: Part Three was officially released. You can watch it in the space below:
Dune: Part Three Brings Villeneuve’s Trilogy To a Thrilling Close
One of the more interesting details in this trailer is that Dune: Part Three is being billed as “the epic conclusion” of the trilogy, giving the project a sense of finality. Villeneuve has long made it clear that this will be his last film in the acclaimed sci-fi franchise, but since Frank Herbert wrote six Dune novels (and other authors have only added more books to the series), there’s been some discussion about whether or not another filmmaker could take the reins and bring those other stories to life. At least for now, Warner Bros. appears to be operating as if Dune: Part Three is it, which might be for the best. It’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Villeneuve helming a Dune movie, though if Dune: Part Three is as successful as its predecessors, the studio might look for a way to keep it going.
Clearly, Dune: Part Three is incorporating elements of the novel Dune: Messiah; we see Robert Pattinson’s villainous Scytale as well as Jason Momoa portraying the ghola designed to look like Paul’s late friend Duncan Idaho. The fact that the film itself is not called Dune: Messiah is fascinating. On one hand, it could just be the studio’s attempt to maintain some semblance of consistency in the titling, but it could also imply that Dune: Part Three is not a straight adaptation of the Messiah text and is instead an amalgamation of various source materials. The casting of Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke as the twin children of Paul Atreides and Chani suggests Dune: Part Three could cover parts of Children of Dune. Considering some of the creepier events from the Dune: Messiah book, Villeneuve was going to have to make some changes, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him put his own spin on things.
Regardless of what unfolds in the story, it’s apparent Villeneuve has not lost his eye for grand scale and scope. Dune: Part Three looks like it will be a fittingly epic sci-fi film, immersing viewers with stunning visuals and elaborate battle sequences. But there will also be plenty of compelling character drama to complement the spectacle. The trailer makes a point to highlight Paul Atreides’ struggles as emperor as he wages war. Dune plays as a dark reading of the “chosen one” archetype where the main character slowly becomes corrupted, so it’ll be fascinating to see how Paul responds to his latest challenges.
With the Dune: Part Three marketing campaign kicked off, we’ve taken another step closer to “Dunesday” this December. Dune 3 is scheduled to open in theaters the same day as Avengers: Doomsday, setting the stage for a titanic box office showdown over the holidays. At first glance, going head to head directly against a new Avengers movie doesn’t seem good for business, but Dune: Part Three has already secured an exclusive IMAX run in the United States, giving it an advantage over Doomsday. If the final film is anything like the first trailer, it should be able to perform very well and hold its own against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
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