Warner Bros. Pictures will commence principal photography on the third installment of the Dune franchise, as reported Tuesday by Deadline’s Andreas Wiseman and Baz Bamigboye. Plans are to start late in the summer after June “providing key elements fall into place (talent avails, etc), according to multiple well-placed sources.”
The report notes the team “has been prepping for a while behind the scenes to try to get things ready for a summer start.” The new film follows through with adapting Frank Herbert’s “Dune Messiah,” completing the studio’s trilogy plans since launching with Dune: Part One in 2021 with lead actors Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, and others.
In the novel, Paul “Muad’Dib” Atreides has ruled as Emperor for 12 years. By accepting the role of messiah to the Fremen, he has unleashed a jihad which has conquered most of the known universe, but is powerless to stop the lethal excesses of the religious juggernaut he has created.
The franchise has collected more than $1.15 billion at the global box office, surpassing previous adaptations of the novel, including the late David Lynch’s inaugural push in 1984. An official title remains pending.
Read more at Deadline.
Lead image: Austin Butler and Timothée Chalamet in “Dune: Part Two via Warner Bros. Pictures