Dune 3 has already beaten The Odyssey record ahead of its release

Dune: Part Three might still be a couple of months away but it has already beaten a huge record previously set by Christopher Nolan's summer blockbuster, The Odyssey.

Directed by Denis Villeneuve, the third chapter in the Dune film series picks up 17 years after the despotic Paul Atreides (played by Timothée Chalamet) seized control of the Imperium.

An adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune Messiah, Dune: Part Three lands in cinemas on 18 December but has already sold more advance tickets than any other titles for the BFI IMAX, where previews starts on 15 December in 70mm.

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Villeneuve's upcoming film, also starring Zendaya, Jason Momoa and Florence Pugh among others, has broken the first-day presale records for the largest screen in the UK for a total gross of £880,000.

Nolan's take on Greek epic The Odyssey starring Matt Damon previously set the record at £750,000, with the filmmaker's Oppenheimer currently sitting at the fourth spot in the top 5 of the biggest advance presale with £254,000.

In third position is Villeneuve's previous Dune: Part Two with a £366,000 gross for first-day advance tickets, while James Cameron's 2025 Avatar threequel, Fire and Ash, is fifth with £116,000.

In April this year, Dune: Part Three debuted some early footage at Las Vegas' CinemaCon, with the 7-minute intro of Javier Bardem's character Stilgar leading the troops earning comparisons to Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan.

Related: UK film release dates

When introducing the scenes, director and co-writer Villeneuve teased that he envisioned the film as a thriller, saying that it is "more intense and definitely more emotional" than its predecessors (via The Hollywood Reporter).

The synopsis teases a reckoning for Chalamet's protagonist, bound to face "the consequences of his reign as old allies return, terrifying new threats emerge, and betrayal lurks in every shadow".

"Haunted by visions of Imperial collapse and the reappearance of Chani, Paul is drawn into a sweeping conspiracy, with his long-lost love at the heart of its unfolding mystery. When enemies close in, Paul must confront the true cost of power and the fate of those he loves the most."

Dune: Part Three is released in cinemas on 18 December. Preview screenings begin at BFI IMAX in IMAX 70mm from 15 December.

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Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).