Dune: Part Three filming locations are already becoming a major talking point as Denis Villeneuve prepares to bring his epic sci-fi trilogy to a close. The third film, also widely referred to as Dune 3, has now completed filming and is set to arrive in theaters on December 18, 2026, with Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy and Robert Pattinson among the cast.
While Arrakis may be fictional, the worlds of Dune have always been built from real landscapes. For Dune: Part Three, production once again returned to dramatic desert locations and major studio soundstages, using locations including Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert, Wadi Rum in Jordan, and Origo Studios in Budapest, Hungary, to bring Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah to life.
With the trailer now released and fans counting down to the film’s December debut, here is everything to know about the Dune: Part Three filming locations, what the cast has said about shooting in extreme conditions, and whether you can actually visit the real places behind Arrakis.
Cast
Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson, Charlotte Rampling, Isaach de Bankolé, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke.
Where was Dune: Part Three filmed?
Liwa Desert, Abu Dhabi, UAE
For Dune: Part Three Filming Locations, continue reading …
The biggest real-world stand-in for Arrakis is once again the Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi, part of the Rub’ al Khali, also known as the Empty Quarter. Its enormous dunes, vast open horizons, and punishing heat make it one of the most convincing real landscapes for the desert planet.
For Dune: Part Three filming locations, Abu Dhabi returned as a major production hub, having played a key role in the earlier films. The desert scenes are especially important because this chapter continues Paul Atreides’ story after his rise to power, meaning Arrakis is not just a backdrop but the political, spiritual and emotional center of the film.
Wadi Rum, Jordan
One of the other major Dune: Part Three filming locations is Wadi Rum, Jordan’s protected desert reserve known for its red sand, towering rock formations and otherworldly landscapes. It has long been one of cinema’s favourite locations for alien planets and epic desert stories, appearing in films including Lawrence of Arabia, The Martian and Rogue One.
For the Dune franchise, Wadi Rum helps create the rocky, cave-like landscapes associated with the Fremen and the harsher edges of Arrakis. Unlike the endless dunes of Abu Dhabi, Jordan’s desert offers cliffs, canyons and sculpted sandstone formations, giving the film a more textured version of the planet.
It is also one of the most accessible Dune: Part Three filming locations for travellers, with jeep tours, desert camps, hiking routes and stargazing experiences available across the reserve.
Origo Studios, Budapest, Hungary
Not every part of Arrakis was filmed in the desert. The interior worlds of Dune: Part Three were built at Origo Studios in Budapest, one of Europe’s major soundstage complexes. Principal photography began there in July 2025, continuing the franchise’s long relationship with Hungary as a base for large-scale production.
Budapest gives the production the control needed for palace interiors, political chambers, constructed sets, and controlled lighting, while the desert locations provide the scale and brutality of Arrakis. That mix of real landscapes and carefully built studio environments is a major part of why Villeneuve’s Dune films feel both massive and intimate.
What has the cast said about filming Dune: Part Three?
The Liwa Desert was used in full support with the Abu Dhabi Film Commission – employing 600 UAE-based staff for its 31 day shoot there – with its head Sameer Al Jaberi saying, “The opportunity to once again work with the incredible cast and crew from ‘Dune: Part Three’ as Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert stars as Arrakis for Denis Villeneuve’s culminating installment was really a poignant and pivotal moment for the entire creative ecosystem of Abu Dhabi,”
Robert Pattinson has given one of the clearest glimpses into the physical challenge Dune: Part Three filming locations, describing the desert heat as so intense that he simply followed Denis Villeneuve’s direction without overthinking because his brain “wasn’t operating.”
Villeneuve was also recently joined by Timothée Chalamet at a global fan event tied to the release of its trailer earlier this month … telling audiences that the mornings in Liwa Desert will stay with him forever. “The mornings in the desert, to feel the energy as the sun comes up, and the crew, to feel the excitement and the wonder in the crew members’ eyes. You feel the power of the desert and how inspiring it is,’ he said. “It’s a crazy journey to bring a massive film crew into the deep desert, but the reward was seeing those smiles every morning. Every morning, I had these chills.”
Timothee agreed, adding, “If you ever have the chance to go there, it is extraordinary, how still the mornings were.”
Can you visit the Dune: Part Three filming locations?
Yes – at least some of them. Wadi Rum in Jordan is one of the easiest Dune locations to visit, with guided desert tours, overnight camps, and hiking routes. Liwa Desert in Abu Dhabi can also be explored through desert resorts, dune drives and guided tours, though conditions can be extreme depending on the season.
Origo Studios in Budapest is a working production facility, so it is not a tourist attraction in the same way. However, Budapest itself has become a major filming hub, making it a worthwhile destination for cinema fans interested in the behind-the-scenes world of modern blockbusters.
Has the Dune: Part Three trailer been released?
Yes. The official Dune: Part Three trailer has been released, giving fans a first look at the final chapter of Villeneuve’s trilogy. The footage teases Paul Atreides reckoning with the consequences of power, Zendaya’s Chani confronting him, Jason Momoa’s return as Duncan Idaho and Robert Pattinson’s arrival as Scytale.
Release date
Dune: Part Three will hit both UK & US cinemas on December 18, 2026