Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three has already made box-office history in London, more than seven weeks before a single ticket is scanned. The science fiction epic has eclipsed The Odyssey to claim the biggest presale record ever recorded at the BFI IMAX, according to verified figures released today. The landmark is a striking early signal that audience appetite for the conclusion of Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's saga remains ferocious, even with the film not due to open until December 15.

The record is especially notable given that The Odyssey - Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic - had been widely expected to dominate the London venue's advance-sales charts this year. Instead, Dune: Part Three has slipped past it well ahead of release, a result that will be read closely by exhibitors across the United Kingdom and beyond. The BFI IMAX, one of the most prestigious large-format screens in Europe, has long been treated as a bellwether for how a tentpole will perform in premium formats, and a presale record there carries weight far beyond a single auditorium.

For Villeneuve, the milestone extends a remarkable run. The first two Dune films established the director as the rare filmmaker able to marry blockbuster scale with critical admiration, and the third chapter arrives with expectations at their peak. The new film picks up nearly two decades after Paul Atreides seized control of the Imperium. Now a ruthless Emperor, Paul must reckon with the consequences of his reign as old allies resurface, terrifying new threats gather, and betrayal waits in every shadow.

Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and by the reappearance of his long-lost love, Paul is pulled into a sweeping conspiracy - one in which Chani sits at the heart of an unfolding mystery. As enemies close in, he is forced to confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves most. The setup promises a darker, more politically tangled chapter than its predecessors, and the marketing has leaned into that shift.

Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, with Zendaya as Chani and Jason Momoa back in the fold as Hayt - a transformation that has fueled intense speculation among readers of Herbert's later novels. Florence Pugh appears as Princess Irulan, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides, while Isaach de Bankolé plays Farok and Charlotte Rampling returns as Reverend Mother Mohiam. The ensemble is among the most star-studded of the year, and the presale response suggests the cast's drawing power has lost none of its force.

At 140 minutes, the film is a leaner proposition than Dune: Part Two, a runtime that may hint at a tighter, more propulsive structure. Villeneuve has spoken in the past about the difficulty of condensing Herbert's dense later material, and the expanded role for Chani's mystery suggests the screenplay is taking liberties that will be debated by devotees. The film's TMDb rating currently stands at 0/10, reflecting only that no audience votes have yet been registered - a formality for a title still weeks from release rather than any indication of reception.

The BFI IMAX record also highlights the growing importance of premium large-format screens to the theatrical business. Venues capable of offering IMAX, Dolby and similar presentations have become the engine room of the modern blockbuster, and studios now court those auditoriums with early presale windows designed to build momentum. That Dune: Part Three has outpaced a film as eagerly anticipated as The Odyssey at one of the flagship locations will be read as proof that the franchise's core audience is not merely loyal but expanding.

Whether the London result translates into a broader pattern will become clearer as presales widen in the coming weeks. For now, Warner Bros. and its partners have a headline they can carry into the final stretch of a crowded holiday season. Dune: Part Three opens in theaters on December 15, 2026, in English, as a Hollywood production.

Correction, October 21, 2026: An earlier version of this article misstated the timing of the release relative to today's date. The film opens on December 15, 2026.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter