We Saw Dune 3's Opening Scene, And One Fan Worry Went Away Instantly

Warner Bros. Pictures

This morning, /Film attended a trailer launch event for "Dune: Part Three," which gave us an early look at the latest stunning trailer for director Denis Villeneuve's conclusion to his "Dune" trilogy. The trailer is jaw-dropping, full of the epic scope and mind-blowing visuals we've come to expect from these films. 

About those visuals, though. Hardcore "Dune"-heads know that part of the reason Villeneuve's first two movies were so amazing is because they were shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser, one of the very best directors of photography working today. (I had the honor of speaking with Fraser about his work on "Dune: Part Two," and I highly encourage you to check out that conversation if you're a fan of this franchise.) But the acclaimed cinematographer did not come back to finish out the trilogy, instead moving on to the stellar "Project Hail Mary" and we-really-hope-it's-worth-the-wait "The Batman: Part II."

Naturally, with such a notable absence behind the scenes for the third film, there was some concern in "Dune" fandom circles about what effects that might have for the trilogy capper. Thankfully, though, those concerns have been totally wiped out after Villeneuve surprised us and the other attendees with an early look at the film's opening scene. (More on that in a minute.)

Greig Fraser is out, but Denis Villeneuve hired another of the best cinematographers in the industry to take over. Linus Sandgren has collaborated with Damien Chazelle ("Babylon," "First Man," "La La Land") and Emerald Fennell ("Wuthering Heights," "Saltburn"), and now he's headed to Arrakis to complete this trilogy. From what we've seen so far in the trailer and the impressive opening scene, he's been able to seamlessly achieve a very similar aesthetic, and most casual fans may not even recognize that a new person is behind the camera.

Warner Bros. Pictures

The opening scene of "Dune: Part Three" sees Villeneuve in full "Saving Private Ryan" mode. (The connection makes sense: Villeneuve is a huge fan of Spielberg, and the respect is mutual — Spielberg even interviewed Villeneuve for the Directors Guild of America podcast "The Director's Cut" about "Dune: Part Two.") An army prepares to land on a rainy planet, and we catch them in a moment of quiet before their assault begins. In the confines of their ship, one soldier fiddles with a personal totem of some kind, while another reads a little book, and a small group prays quietly to themselves. Javier Bardem's Stilgar is the only familiar face, and when their ships land on the sand, he leads the troops out into the rain — only to be quickly and dangerously besieged by enemy forces. 

You see some moments from this scene in the trailer, but the counterattack is ferocious and fatal — pulsating laser blasts rip tear the army's ships (and some troops) to shreds with terrifying velocity, and amid the IMAX-sized chaos of the battle, Villeneuve crucially makes time for small, human moments in which we feel the soldiers' terror. (At least one man is in awe of the very concept of rain, since water is such a scant resource on Arrakis.)

Sandgren's cinematography picks up the baton from Fraser, delivering crisp and sleek images and giving Sandgren the chance to level up in a huge way. This looks like the biggest project he's ever been a part of, and we can't wait to see how the whole thing comes together when "Dune: Part Three," one of our most anticipated films of the year, blasts into theaters on December 18, 2026.