EntertainmentMoviesSci-Fi MoviesDune 2Dune 3: what could happen in a potential third film according to the booksWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentMoviesSci-Fi MoviesDune 2Dune 3: what could happen in a potential third film according to the booksWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
We’ve got you covered. Below, we’ve broken down the broad plot of the next book in the Dune series, detailing the key events that are likely to take place in Dune 3. But, we should note that a third film hasn’t actually been confirmed just yet, and bothDuneandDune 2made some tweaks to Frank Herbert’s source material.
We should also note that the following containsmajor spoilers for both Dune 2 and a potential Dune 3! Turn back now if you’re not up to date!
If you are curious about what might come next, though, head to the below.
What could happen in Dune 3?
(Image credit: Warner Bros)
Dune: Part Two ends with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) ascending to become Emperor, though the other noble houses refuse to accept his rule. So, Paul unleashes a holy war against them, and the film ends before we see the fallout.
But what happens next? The answers lie in the first sequel to Frank Herbert’s Dune novel, which is titled Dune: Messiah. It picks up 12 years after the events of the first book, and, in this bleak future, 61billionpeople have died as a consequence of the religious cult surrounding Paul. He’s far from happy about this and regrets many past decisions. His problem, though, is that if he calls off the war he looks weak and his reign could collapse, and if he dies he becomes a martyr.
What follows is pretty complicated, so we’ll do our best to keep things simple. Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh in the movies), who is in a political marriage with Paul, begins secretly slipping Chani (Zendaya) contraceptives; Paul doesn’t want to have a child with Irulan, and so she worries for her place in his reign. Irulan is also allied with the Bene Gesserit, who have plans to continue the Atreides line through her child – but the Bene Gesserit are also working against Paul with some other factions.
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Paul, though, is aware of Irulan’s manoeuvring. As he has previously had a vision that showed him Chani would die if she had his child, he does nothing about the contraceptives. Chani later becomes pregnant anyway after switching up her diet so Irulan couldn’t keep giving her the contraceptive, but ingesting it for so long puts the pregnancy at risk anyway.
Chani later dies while giving birth to twins – one boy and one girl. Paul did not foresee a son, only a daughter. In the aftermath of Chani’s death, the Duncan clone tries to murder Paul. In the process, though, it ends up regaining Duncan’s consciousness.
While Alia executes some of Paul’s enemies, she doesn’t hurt Irulan, who disavows the Bene Gesserit and instead pledges loyalty to Paul’s twins.
That’s where the novel ends, and so presumably would Dune 3 – though the story continues across multiple further books.
Dune: Part Two is in theaters now. You can keep up to date on everything else the year has in store with our guide to all the upcoming majormovie release dates, and for more on Dune 2, see our deep dives below:
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands"5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”