The third installment of the highly acclaimed Dune series, directed by Denis Villeneuve, may be released earlier than its announced release date. The release date, previously set for December 18, 2026, is likely to be changed due to its coincidence with a strong industry rival.

When is Dune 3 coming out?

The film’s planned release date is the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. Industry sources and experts have long speculated that Warner Bros. will avoid pitting Dune 3 against such a major box office hit, and therefore will bring the release date forward.

A significant announcement strengthening this possibility came yesterday. Venice Film Festival Director Alberto Barbera announced that he had personally met with Denis Villeneuve and wanted to add the new Dune film to the festival program. Barbera stated that Dune 3 could have its world premiere in Venice.

The Venice Film Festival is traditionally held in early September, making it more likely that the film will be ready for this date. The fact that the film is ready in September further diminishes the likelihood that the filmmaker will hold off on the project for months and then face the Avengers in December.

Given these developments, the widespread expectation in the industry is that the film will have its world premiere in Venice and be released immediately thereafter, with the date set for October or November 2026.

The film is based on Frank Herbert’s novel Dune: Messiah, and the story takes place approximately twelve years after the first book, during the reign of Paul Atreides as Emperor. While it is unknown how faithful Villeneuve will be to the novel, it is certain that Dune 3, like the film it is adapted from, will take a significant leap forward in time.

The cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Jason Momoa, and Anya Taylor-Joy, all returning to their roles from the previous films. The most notable new addition to the cast is Robert Pattinson.