Denis Villeneuve will be back in theaters for the 2026 holiday season, but will his next feature be “Dune: Part Three“? That’s the question on everyone’s mind as THR reports that Warner Bros. has the director’s next film with Legendary Entertainment slotted for a December 18, 2026 theatrical release. And since the project hails from Legendary, it could be only one of two things: a “Dune” sequel or a nuclear war event film based on Annie Jacobsen‘s recent nonfiction bestseller.
So which film is it? Neither Warner Bros. nor Legendary could be reached to confirm the Villeneuve title, but sources tell THR that the director may have had a change of heart about waiting to return to Arrakis. During his press tour for “Dune: Part Two,” Villeneuve teased he had “four projects on the table,” including a “secret project” that “needs to see the light of day quite quickly.” That could feasibly be the Jacobsen adaptation, which fits both as a Legendary picture and a project swiftly put together; but that’s all speculation.
But it’s telling that Warner Bros. won’t give an official world on what Villeneuve will do next. It could be that the director still hasn’t decided, so the studio is day-and-dating something and giving Villeneuve a few months to flirt with returning to “Dune.” And let’s face it, Villeneuve’s next movie is “Dune: Part Three,” Warner Bros. and Legendary would confirm it immediately. “Dune: Part Two” had massive box office for both companies this year, and the sequel ranks with many critics as 2024’s top film halfway through the calendar year. In other words, if Warner Bros. knew Villeneuve was making another “Dune” film next, they’d let people know so the hype could start circulating.
When Villeneuve makes “Dune: Part Three,” he’ll adapt Frank Herbert‘s 1969 book sequel “Dune Messiah,” which sees an older Paul Atreides, now Emperor of the galaxy, reckoning with his integalactic jihad’s grim legacy. And given the changes Villeneuve made to Herbert’s original story for his two films so far, “Part Three” won’t be a strict adaptation. Still, expect a severe tone change for the next “Dune” film. “Messiah” is a very different tale than Herbert’s 1965 original, filled with secret plots, court intrigue, new characters, and the shocking return of old ones. It’ll no doubt be a great movie and a fitting end to Paul’s arc, but it will surprise fans of Villeneuve’s films in ways they don’t expect.
But while “Dune” fans speculate whether or not “Part 3” will be Villeneuve’s next film, Warner Bros. put another blockbuster on their calendar. The next MonsterVerse movie will hit theaters on March 26, 2027, bumping a previously announced project from Locksmith Animation from that spot. Grant Sputore takes the reins from Adam Wingard for the upcoming sequel to “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which had solid box office numbers despite critics meeting it with a shrug. No word yet on what cast will return for that one, but it’s at least a title Warner Bros. will confirm is happening.
Still, expect Warner Bros. or Legendary to announce what Villeneuve project will hit projects in December 2026. Even if it’s not “Dune: Part Three,” Mr. Villeneuve is one of Hollywood’s premier directors right now, and anything he makes will be a marquee event. And if it’s a movie based on “Nuclear War: A Scenario,” so be it: that’s an event picture Villeneuve can more than handle the scale of.