Dune: Part Three is already winning over critics after a limited screening. Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated sequel arrives on December 18, bringing one of the most challenging stories in Frank Herbert’s saga to the big screen. The pressure is even greater this time, as adapting Dune Messiah is notoriously challenging due to the novel’s philosophical and esoteric nature. Fortunately, critics are responding positively to the film’s darker and more more psychological direction so far. The film now has the opportunity to take the franchise to another level.  

The movie has not only received strong early reactions but is also emerging as a contender in early predictions for prestigious awards.

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three held its first intimate, small-group screenings this past week. And according to Variety's sources, the early reviews have been "very positive". Variety’s Clayton Davis is already projecting Dune: Part Three as a major Oscar contender. Meanwhile, industry insiders such as Jeff Sneider have described the upcoming Best Picture race as a potential clash of the titans between Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey.

According to Variety, Dune: Part Three could score a Best Picture nomination at the Golden Globes as well. Formal press reviews will not arrive until its mid-December premiere, but this is already generating plenty of excitement. Particularly after a critical miss like Digger, the strong early response to Dune: Part Three could offer audiences another major sci-fi spectacle to look forward to. Despite the success of the franchise, neither of its films have managed to cross the $1 billion mark at the global box office.

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However, the third film’s strong early reviews could give Dune: Part Three the momentum needed to take the franchise past its previous box office ceiling.

Dune: Part Three is tracking toward a franchise-best box office run. The film has already generated more than $10 million in early advance ticket sales, and box office experts are projecting a $100 million to $130 million domestic opening weekend. That would put it comfortably ahead of Dune: Part Two’s $82.5 million debut, while early global tracking places its opening weekend at around $230 million.

The film is also receiving strong support from prediction-market traders, with Polymarket currently giving it a 96% chance of earning a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80% or higher. On Kalshi, traders are favoring the film to post a higher Tomatometer score than Avengers: Doomsday, which opens on the same day. Therefore, many industry experts are projecting that it could become the first installment in the trilogy to surpass $1 billion worldwide.

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What do you think about Dune: Part Three's early reviews? Let us know in the comments!