New official images from Dune 3 have arrived, and they confirm a major shift from Frank Herbert’s original novel. Anya Taylor-Joy appears as Alia Atreides, Paul’s sister, in a much larger role than her brief appearance in Dune: Part Two. The photos, released by Empire magazine on October 15, 2026, also show a shaved-headed Timothée Chalamet as Emperor Paul Atreides seated beside a fully covered Alia. The images make one thing clear: the film is moving 17 years past the events of Part Two, a change that reshapes Alia’s place in the story.
What the New Images Actually Show
Empire’s December 2026 issue featured three covers and a batch of stills from the film. The first cover places Paul Atreides at the centre, with Chani (Zendaya), Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), and Scytale (Robert Pattinson) behind him. A second cover shifts focus to Chani, with Paul, Hayt (Jason Momoa), and Alia also featured.
The image that drew the most attention shows Alia in a full white head and body covering, seated next to Paul on a jade throne. The outfit closely resembles modest prayer clothing worn by some Muslim women, and social media users were quick to notice. Memes and jokes spread across X and other platforms, with comments comparing the look to everyday family photos and prayer scenes.
The reaction was not all humorous. Some users criticised the films for drawing on Islamic and Arab visual language without casting Arab or North African actors in major roles. The conversation about cultural borrowing in the Dune films is not new, and the new images brought it back into focus.
The 17-Year Time Jump Changes Alia Completely
Frank Herbert’s novel Dune Messiah takes place 12 years after the first Dune book. The film is extending that gap to 17 years. The change is not cosmetic. In the book, Alia is still a child during much of the story. By pushing the timeline further, the film allows Anya Taylor-Joy, who is in her late twenties, to play Alia as an adult with a full role rather than a cameo.
Timothée Chalamet confirmed the time jump and explained what it means for his performance.
“There’s supposed to be a nice character shift. I’m playing 15, 20 years older.”
The extended jump also avoids a difficult plot point from the novel. In Dune Messiah, the child Alia develops a romantic connection with a resurrected Duncan Idaho, played by Jason Momoa. Stretching the timeline to 17 years makes Alia an adult and removes the uncomfortable implications of that relationship on screen.
Anya Taylor-Joy Describes Alia as “the Abomination”
Taylor-Joy has spoken about the character in interviews ahead of the release. She described Alia as unlike anyone else in the Dune universe and used the novel’s term for her: “the Abomination.”
“She is one of a kind. There’s never been anybody like her.”
“A lot of people find her really creepy, except for her brother.”
The actress explained that Alia possesses absolute prescience, seeing past, present, and future at the same time. That ability comes with a cost: she hears “the voice of generations of people” in her mind and is never in a single conversation. The psychological weight of the role is central to the film’s darker tone.
Chalamet praised Taylor-Joy’s performance in strong terms after working with her on set.
“She is unbelievable in this movie. That’s not media hyperbole. She’s actually terrifying and amazing.”
A Story That Takes More Liberties With the Book
The film adapts Dune Messiah, Herbert’s 1969 sequel, which is widely considered harder to translate to screen than the first novel. Chalamet said the third film takes the “most creative liberty” of the trilogy.
“Denis’ mastery in weaving in storylines that weren’t explicit in the book — perhaps I would say that Denis took the most creative liberty. But it really ties the story together.”
Denis Villeneuve has said the film will be “very different” from the first two, with a different tone, rhythm, and pace. The story follows Paul after he becomes Emperor, as the holy war fought in his name spreads across the galaxy. The political and religious consequences of his rise take priority over large-scale desert battles.
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Cast and Release Details
Dune: Part Three brings back Timothée Chalamet as Paul, Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, and Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho. Robert Pattinson joins as the villain Scytale. Nakoa-Wolf Momoa plays Leto II, and Ida Brooke plays Ghanima.
The film opens in theatres worldwide on December 18, 2026. IMAX insider screenings begin on December 14, 2026, four days earlier, at select IMAX 70mm locations. The release covers the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and other global markets through Warner Bros. Pictures.
Also Read: Dune 3 Moves Release Date Earlier to Challenge Avengers: Doomsday at Box Office
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