Timothée Chalamet says Dune: Part Three will break from the books

At a recent trailer event, actor Timothée Chalamet explained that Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune: Part Three will take the greatest creative liberties of the trilogy, moving farther from Frank Herbert’s source material. The film will adapt the more politically complex novel Dune Messiah, focusing on the fracture between Paul Atreides and his partner Chani.

Chalamet said the role required him to “lose a part of himself,” describing the performance as his most emotional and personal. He also praised new cast members – Robert Pattinson as the shapeshifting assassin Scytale and Anya Taylor‑Joy as Paul’s sister Alia – and noted the return of Jason Momoa. The director and actors hinted that the tone will be markedly different from the first two films. Dune: Part Three is scheduled for release on 18 December 2026.