‘Dune: Part Three’ Quietly Screens for the First Time, and the Early Buzz Is Glowing
Denis Villeneuve’s final trip to Arrakis has been one of the most closely guarded films of the year. With a December release on the horizon and enormous expectations to meet, fans have been waiting anxiously for any hint about how the trilogy capper turned out. Now, the first ‘Dune: Part Three’ reactions are starting to trickle in, and they’re very encouraging.
The hype has been building for months. Back in April, Warner Bros. closed its CinemaCon panel by screening the first 7 minutes of the film, and the footage was widely seen as the night’s biggest highlight. Many who saw it compared the sequence to the iconic Normandy assault in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Saving Private Ryan’.
According to Variety, ‘Dune: Part Three‘ held its first intimate, small-group screenings this past week, and the outlet reports that early word is very positive. The news quickly spread online.
The report builds on earlier chatter from inside the studio. World of Reel previously reported that the film had screened internally at Warner Bros. and was described as extraordinary.
These early showings also matter for the awards race. World of Reel noted that once a few remaining festival titles screen, ‘Dune: Part Three’ will be one of the last major Oscar contenders still unseen by the wider industry.
The positive buzz has reignited conversation about Villeneuve’s standing with the Academy. He has only been nominated for Best Director once, for 2016’s ‘Arrival’, and was passed over in that category for both previous ‘Dune’ films despite their Best Picture nominations. If the early reactions hold, some believe this could finally be his year.
Variety is already factoring the film into its awards forecasts. The outlet projects ‘Dune: Part Three’ to earn 4 Golden Globe nominations and notes that Robert Pattinson has 4 films in theaters this year, including ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’.
The film arrives in theaters on December 18, the same day as Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, a matchup fans have nicknamed “Dunesday.” Warner Bros.-linked material indicates the international rollout begins December 16.
Demand has been staggering so far. Forbes reported that the first wave of IMAX 70mm presales in April sold out within minutes, and a later wave caused theater websites to crash. Special Insider screenings in IMAX 70mm are also set for December 14, 4 days before the wide release.
Experience the epic conclusion. Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. #DuneMovie #FilmedforIMAX pic.twitter.com/6lYDvlvMqW
— DUNE (@dunemovie) March 17, 2026
The film is listed by IMAX as a Filmed For IMAX release, which helps explain the frenzy. Fans are clearly planning accordingly, with one predicting the movie looks like it’ll be really long and adding that they can’t wait to see it in IMAX. ‘Dune: Part Three’ adapts Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune Messiah’, picking up 17 years after Paul’s rise to power.
Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya return as Paul and Chani, joined by Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Pattinson as the villainous Scytale. With the first audiences now weighing in, anticipation is only going to grow. If the early word holds up, Villeneuve may be about to close out his trilogy in spectacular fashion.
How excited are you for Dune: Part Three after the early reactions?
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