Denis Villeneuve’s Dune films have become pop cultural sensations over the course of the last few years. Prior to the release of the most recent films, Frank Herbert’s quintessential 1965 novel was seen as unadaptable to the cinematic medium.
Famously, the great David Lynch tried his hand at adapting the novel into a single film in 1984, resulting in a film that left general audiences utterly confused. However, by embracing the growing trend of serialization in films, Villeneuve was able to successfully pitch a two-film adaptation of the novel, which resulted in a far more legible and compelling viewing experience for the uninitiated.
The success of Villeneuve’s Dune films
Notably, the first film in Villeneuve’s series was far from a blockbuster for a laundry list of reasons. For one, the film was released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning that Warner Bros. released it simultaneously in theaters and on their streaming service, HBO Max. As a direct result of this choice, the exposition-heavy first chapter was relieved of the kinds of box office mandates that a film of that size, scope, and cost would have been confined to on a solely theatrical release. Thus, audiences gradually came to the film on streaming over the course of several years, resulting in the second film, Dune: Part Two, being a bona fide smash when it was released in 2024.

With this unequivocal success under his belt, Villeneuve is now moving on to the third and final chapter of his trilogy, Dune: Part Three. The films have been revered for their monumental scale and the ways in which they have employed IMAX techniques; however, it sounds as if the third film in the series is looking to push things even further than prior entries.
Dune: Part Three might be shooting some parts on film
According to a report from World of Reel, Villeneuve’s threequel is shooting on film rather than on digital—at least for some parts. This has not been confirmed by Warner Bros., but the publication cites a social media post from Kodak as evidence. For now, it's just a report, but it would be really awesome if true.
Dune: Part III is officially (at least for parts) being shot on film, including 15-perf 65mm (IMAX) and 5-perf 65mm, according to Kodak Motion Picture Film's Instagram story. pic.twitter.com/q6WLwIuGp6
— Shot on Film Updates (@isitshotonfilm) July 11, 2025
It’s been confirmed by IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond that Dune: Part Three is filming with IMAX cameras, though he did not get into the specifics. A report from Variety in June says the movie will not be shot entirely with IMAX cameras, but rather some "sequences."
The first two films were crafted in tandem with cinematographer Greig Fraser, who is extremely accustomed to working on digital. The DP was the one who brought the use of ILM’s Volume (screen-based rear-projection technology) to vivid life, as the cinematographer on the first several episodes of The Mandalorian. Similarly, Fraser shot Matt Reeves’s The Batman, which was another highly tactical, stupendous visual work that was shot digitally.
With Dune: Part Three, however, Villeneuve is bringing on a new cinematographer, in the form of Linus Sandgren. Sandgren is best known for his work with filmmaker Damien Chazelle, on films like La La Land and Babylon, as well as being the DP on the Bond film No Time to Die. Each of these projects was shot on film and showcased Sandgren’s wondrous capabilities within the format.
Considering all of this, it isn’t too surprising that Dune: Part Three might follow suit and be shot on film as well, marking a first for the science fiction saga.
Dune: Part Three will be released in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026.