Dune: Part Three
gets a new update from composer Hans Zimmer, who reveals his progress on the “complicated” project. After the success of his first Dune in 2021 and its acclaimed sequel last year, director Denis Villeneuve’s next undertaking will be an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune: Messiah, the second installment in his epic sci-fi novel series. Dune: Part Three‘s release is currently scheduled for December 2026, with filming on the project reportedly set to get underway at some point this summer. Zimmer, after composing the score for the first two films, will return.
During a recent Q&A session ScreenRant attended for Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert, Zimmer briefly touches on the status of Dune: Part Three. The composer reveals that he hasn’t yet started work on the film, teasing that “it’s a very complicated one.” Whether he’s referring to the movie as a whole or just his score, however, isn’t clear. Check out Zimmer’s comment below:
“Dune 2 was written before Denis started shooting because we weren’t greenlit for the longest time. Have I started writing [Messiah]? No. Not quite yet. Oh, god, it’s a very complicated one, but I love working with Denis so I’m actually going to just focus on that, nothing else, and just really spend the time doing it.”
What Zimmer’s Tease Means For Dune 3
Why The Messiah Adaptation Could Be Tricky
Zimmer’s use of the word “complicated” is interesting considering the story of Dune: Messiah. Villeneuve’s first two movies adapt Herbert’s first book in the series, but the author’s follow-up is a fairly significant departure. In a broad sense, Messiah, which picks up the story 12 after the events that end Dune: Part Two and the start of Paul’s holy war, serves as a reʙuттal to those who may have thought Paul Atreides an honorable hero worth rooting for. The book subverts many elements of typical epic sci-fi storytelling, highlighting the dangers of messiah figures.
Without delving into spoilers from the book, Messiah is a less straightforward tale with far less of the epic action that Villeneuve includes in his first two films. Adapting Messiah into a big-budget blockbuster that appeals to fans of the first two movies will be a challenging task, and it could require some significant deviations from the source material. Zimmer using the word “complicated,” even if he is just referring to his score, speaks to the daunting task that both he and Villeneuve face in terms of creating a mainstream blockbuster movie while still honoring the source material.
Our Take On Zimmer’s Dune 3 Update
There Are Reasons To Be Optimistic About The Messiah Adaptation
Though adapting Messiah for the big screen comes with some serious challenges, the first two films certainly suggest that the project is in good hands. Villeneuve is clearly a big fan of Herbert’s source material, and this could make him the perfect filmmaker to extract the essence of Herbert’s second Dune book while still creating a project that appeals to mainstream movie-goers.
Dune: Part Two reviews were glowing from critics, earning the film a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was also a success at the box office, grossing $714 million worldwide.
In addition to the epic visuals that Villeneuve is so adept at creating, Zimmer’s score truly helps to breath life into Arrakis and the world of Dune. It’s a promising sign that the two will be collaborating on the third film, and it will be interesting to see what bold creative choices they make, especially if they end up deviating from the tone and style of the first two movies. With filming reportedly getting underway later this year, more updates on Dune: Part Three may not be far off.
