The first look at Dune: Part Three has been revealed by Denis Villeneuve as filming begins. Following the critical and commercial success of his two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel, Dune, the visionary director is now adapting Dune Messiah, the second novel in the series, which continues the story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet).

Dune: Part Three‘s cast also features the return of Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, and Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho. Two new cast members have officially been added – Nakoa-Wolf Momoa as Leto II Atreides and Ida Brooke as Ghanima Atreides. Robert Pattinson was also reportedly in talks for the role of the villain Scytale.

On X, formerly Twitter, the official Dune account shared a post announcing that production on Dune: Part Three has begun. The post includes a pH๏τo of the Arrakis desert, taken by Villeneuve himself, and a quote from Dune: Messiah, “…on a journey into that land where we walk without footprints.” Check out the post below:

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What Dune: Part Three’s Filming Start Means For The Movie

It’s Running On Schedule

Dune: Part Three‘s production start means that everything is running on schedule, as filming was reportedly expected to start in the summer of 2025. If filming takes approximately five months, as it did on Dune: Part Two, it should be finished around November, and should have no trouble making its scheduled release one year later in December 2026.

The quote “a journey into that land where we walk without footprints” is from the book Dune: Messiah, and is used to describe Paul Atreides’ spiritual transformation and ascension to a near-prophetic state. It signifies a state beyond physical presence, where one’s actions and influence transcend the limitations of the material world and leave no discernible physical trace.

The pH๏τo of Arrakis was likely taken by Villeneuve in either the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan or the Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi, which is where the desert scenes in Dune: Part Two were filmed. Reports suggest that Dune: Part Three started filming a few days ago at Origo Film Studios in Budapest.

Our Take On Dune: Part Three’s Filming Start

It’s Incredibly Exciting

Since there was once a time when filming wasn’t expected to start until 2026, it’s exciting to see that Dune: Part Three has started production and is actually going to make its release date in December 2026, which feels both incredibly close and impossibly far away, but it’s exciting to know we’re that close to another epic cinematic event.

With cameras already rolling, it’s clear that director Denis Villeneuve and company are eager to bring the next chapter of Paul Atreides’ journey to life. That journey through the sands of Arrakis is far from over – and we can’t wait for Dune: Part Three.

Source: Dune/X