‘Dune: Part Three’ trailer: Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert returns as Zendaya plots against Timothée Chalamet

Dubai: Abu Dhabi's golden dunes are back in the Hollywood spotlight, and this time, they are the backdrop to a spectacular betrayal.

The final trailer for Dune: Part Three, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, has dropped, bringing the sweeping sands of Abu Dhabi's Liwa Desert back to the big screen as the fictional planet Arrakis. But beyond the stunning desert landscapes, there's a storm brewing in the world of Paul Atreides.

The biggest twist? Zendaya's Chani, once Paul's fiercely loyal lover, now appears to be involved in a plot to assassinate him.

And for UAE movie buffs, there's another reason to be excited. The sci-fi blockbuster, directed by Denis Villeneuve, was filmed in Abu Dhabi over 31 days, involving more than 600 UAE-based cast and crew.

According to the Abu Dhabi Film Commission's post on LinkedIn, this marks the third instalment of the Dune franchise to be filmed in the emirate, with production in the UAE dating back to 2019.

The latest film was supported by the Abu Dhabi Film Commission, Creative Media Authority, Image Nation Studios and production services provider Epic Films.

It's another major Hollywood production showcasing the UAE's growing credentials as an international filming destination.

But back to the drama unfolding on Arrakis.

The new trailer reveals that 19 years have passed since the events of Dune: Part Two, and Paul Atreides (Chalamet) is no longer the reluctant hero we once knew.

Now the Padishah Emperor, he has conquered thousands of worlds and transformed into the kind of oppressive ruler he once opposed.

The trailer opens with Paul using The Voice on his political wife, Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), to extract information about a conspiracy to assassinate him.

The shocker? His former lover Chani appears to be part of the plot.

“I’ve become the oppressor Chani swore to fight,” Paul admits in the trailer, before Chani calls him a traitor.

It's quite the fall from grace for a man once hailed as a messiah.

The development also marks a significant departure from Frank Herbert's novel Dune Messiah, on which the film is based. In the book, Chani remains Paul's loyal partner despite his political marriage to Princess Irulan.

Villeneuve, however, appears to have other plans.

Remember how Dune: Part Two ended with Chani walking away after Paul chose to marry Irulan to secure his throne? That betrayal now seems to have set the stage for an explosive confrontation between the former lovers.

As if Paul's romantic troubles weren't enough, Robert Pattinson joins the franchise as Scytale, a mysterious conspirator plotting against the emperor.

The trailer also teases the apparent return of the deceased Duncan Idaho, a mysterious affliction affecting Paul, and Anya Taylor-Joy appearing in a blood-soaked sequence.

Another major change from the books is the timeline. While Dune Messiah takes place 12 years after the original novel, Villeneuve has extended the gap to 19 years, allowing Paul's increasingly brutal reign to cast a longer shadow over the story.

The result promises to be a darker, more politically charged finale, where the lines between saviour and tyrant have all but disappeared.

UAE audiences can catch Dune: Part Three in cinemas from December 17, 2026.

The commission also highlighted how Abu Dhabi's involvement in the franchise has expanded since the first film's production in 2019, with the latest instalment employing more than 600 UAE-based cast and crew.

With the Liwa Desert once again playing a starring role as Arrakis, the UAE has more than a passing connection to one of Hollywood's most anticipated sci-fi spectacles.

And judging by the latest trailer, the desert may be familiar, but the battle for power is about to get a lot more personal.