The last three months of 2026 promise a thrilling lineup for movie enthusiasts, featuring much-anticipated releases like Dune 3, The Batman 2, and an untitled Star Wars film. Denis Villeneuve’s Dune film series has remained in the discussion, especially after the blockbuster release of the sequel this year.
Fans have also been looking forward to Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequel along with the upcoming projects in the space opera, which has lined up a number of new releases following The Acolyte. With these highly anticipated films releasing in such close succession, two are set to clash at the box office, likely creating another iconic box office showdown.
Dune 3 Lands a Potential Release Date For Holiday 2026
Denis Villeneuve’s third installment in the Dune film series is expected to continue Paul Atreides’ journey, following the events depicted in Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah. The filmmaker has shared that he has been working on a script for the threequel.
As per Deadline, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures have set a release date for the highly anticipated film. According to reports the “Untitled Event Film” that the studio had planned to release in December 2026, could be the Dune threequel.
Sources have revealed that the film is now being referred to as the “Denis Villeneuve Event Film,” with the studio anticipating that Villeneuve will complete the trilogy with Dune 3. The filmmaker is reportedly still working on the project and is in the process of casting new actors for the upcoming film.
Villeneuve has a series of upcoming projects lined up and has shared that the upcoming third installment will be his last film in the series. However, there are discussions about a potential prequel spin-off series focusing on the Bene Gesserit.
Dune 3 to Clash With an Untitled Star Wars Film At the Box Office
With the release dates of Dune 3, The Batman 2, and an untitled Star Wars film, the fans will surely be in for an exhilarating cinematic feast during the final months of 2026, as the highly anticipated projects have been eagerly awaited by audiences.
Matt Reeves‘ The Batman 2, originally slated for October 2025, has been postponed to October 2026. Meanwhile, a new Disney release schedule reveals three untitled Star Wars films set for May 2026, December 2026, and December 2027.
While the May 2026 release schedule is expected to be Pedro Pascal’s The Mandalorian and Grogu, the December 2026 film is expected to be New Jedi Order starring Daisy Ridley. And the film could potentially set up a box office clash with Dune 3, with both reportedly slated for December 18, 2026.
While the official titles have yet to be announced, the prospect of this box-office showdown is anticipated to be significant. It will be intriguing to see which film prevails, although outcomes of such clashes can be unpredictable, as demonstrated by past phenomena like the Barbenheimer effect.
The Batman 2 is set to release on October 2, 2026.
Dune 3 and the untitled Star Wars film are set to release on December 18, 2026.
