Fans gather en masse in Los Angeles for the launch of the Dune: Part Three, Messiah trailer

Few films command the kind of devotion that Dune now does. It’s become a modern day cult classic in the vein of the Star Wars franchise, or Indiana Jones.

That much was obvious in Los Angeles, where fans began queueing before 6am for the unveiling of the second trailer for Dune 3. By the time director Denis Villeneuve wandered through the crowd on a blistering Californian morning, greeting those who’d waited hours for a glimpse of him, the atmosphere had taken on the feel of a pilgrimage rather than a promotional event.

Four hours later, Villeneuve took to the stage before a giant screen linking thousands of fans from around the world who’d logged in to watch the trailer debut live. Such is the fervour surrounding the final chapter in what has become one of modern cinema’s defining science-fiction sagas.

I was there for the Sunday Times when the first trailer debuted, featuring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Javier Bardem. Timothée Chalamet joined remotely after attending the Academy Awards the previous evening, making his absence understandable.

This time, however, there was an empty chair beside Villeneuve.

The audience barely took their eyes off it.

Then the director smiled and confirmed what everyone had hoped. Chalamet emerged from the back of the auditorium to a thunderous standing ovation. Fans dressed in elaborate Dune cosplay erupted, chanting his name while others hummed Hans Zimmer’s now iconic score. It was less a celebrity entrance than the arrival of a conquering hero.

Looking younger than his 30 years, clean-shaven and casually dressed in baggy jeans, a white T-shirt and charcoal jersey, the New Yorker appeared remarkably relaxed considering the frenzy surrounding him.

Moments earlier, the assembled entertainment media had watched the new trailer.

It’s extraordinary.

Where the previous films balanced spectacle with prophecy, the new footage suggests something darker and more unsettling. Paul Atreides no longer appears to be merely the reluctant hero. There’s an intensity about him that borders on menace. Whether he’s become the messiah foretold by prophecy or simply another man seduced by absolute power remains the central question.

That moral ambiguity is precisely what’s made Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah, published in 1969, such a fascinating sequel. Rather than celebrating the rise of a hero, Herbert deliberately dismantled the idea of the flawless saviour, exploring how charisma, religious fervour and political power can become dangerously intertwined. Villeneuve has repeatedly described the third film not as a triumphant conclusion but as a cautionary tale.

The trailer reflects that shift. Chalamet’s Paul dominates almost every frame, not with swagger but with the burden of command. His determination borders on fanaticism as armies prepare to die in his name. Every image hints at the terrible cost of holy war.

Robert Pattinson makes an immediate impression despite appearing only briefly at the event. Painted ghostly white, his mysterious new character radiates intelligence, danger and unsettling confidence. Villeneuve reveals almost nothing about his role, yet the performance already suggests a formidable counterweight to Paul’s growing certainty. Pattinson himself has hinted that audiences should not expect a conventional villain, and the trailer supports that promise.

Zendaya’s Chani burns with anger and betrayal, seemingly rejecting the man Paul has become. Javier Bardem returns with commanding presence, leading battle sequences whose scale Villeneuve compared during the presentation to the visceral opening of Saving Private Ryan. The comparison isn’t hyperbole. The combat shown in the trailer is overwhelming, placing viewers in the chaos rather than allowing them to observe it safely from a distance.

For long stretches you almost forget to breathe.

Visually, Villeneuve continues to expand what many critics already regard as one of the greatest science-fiction achievements ever committed to screen. The first two films collected multiple Academy Awards while earning praise for their scale, visual storytelling and refusal to simplify Herbert’s dense philosophical ideas. Reviewers have repeatedly argued that the director has achieved something Hollywood rarely manages: blockbuster filmmaking with genuine intellectual ambition.

That ambition appears even greater here. Addressing the audience after the screening, Chalamet explained the story’s enduring relevance. “Frank Herbert wanted to warn the world about what happens when people blindly follow leaders,” he said. “Even good people can become corrupted.”

That warning feels especially timely.

If the trailer is any indication, Dune 3 will be less about defeating an external enemy than confronting the consequences of power itself. It promises a darker, more emotionally complex finale than audiences may expect, asking whether the hero who saved a civilisation might ultimately become its greatest threat.

Judging by these first glimpses alone, Villeneuve looks poised to deliver an ending worthy of Herbert’s masterpiece — and another formidable contender when awards season arrives.

The film is expected to launch in South Africa mid December this year.