David Bridges
Suitable soon after paying a quantity of decades on Arrakis, director Denis Villeneuve pointed out he wished to go someplace else for his future project. And even although we definitely never know “where” that is, we do know “when.” Warner Bros. just established a December 18, 2026 release date for Villenuve’s future film, which is described as an “event film.” It far far better be a great deal as well, for the cause that, as it stands now, the other film established to release on that day is a new Star Wars film.
In the aftermath of Dune: Element Two’s launch earlier this calendar year, Villeneuve not only spoke about earning a 3rd Dune, Dune Messiah, but was connected to at least a individual other job. Which is Nuclear War, primarily based largely on a non-fiction e book by Annie Jacobsen that tries to paint a sensible photo of what an accurate nuclear war, and its fallout, would glance like. This 2026 film could be that or, in a huge twist, it may well effectively generally be Dune Messiah. Deadline would appear to assume it is Dune and the Hollywood Reporter teases the related. It is unclear for particular even although.
What is distinct possessing stated that is Warner Bros. is not messing all more than with no matter what the title is. As of now, the untitled Star Wars film (presumably the Rey motion image) is the only film to have a release date in December 2026. The complete rest of the month is vacant. If it is Dune Messiah, why would the studio determine that one of a kind day to go up in opposition to Star Wars? It could choose quite a great deal any other day. But no, it particularly picked December 18 which could imply it is counter-programming to Star Wars—like some kind of major Oscar-bait challenge—or the studio does not really feel Star Wars will take place. There’s no way it would release Dune Messiah the precise identical day as a Star Wars motion image, appropriate?
Possibly way, if any 1 could release a film to contend with Star Wars, it is Denis Villeneuve. And Dune would be just the aspect a great deal as well.
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Daniel Mercer
