Dune: Part Three is easily one of the most anticipated films of the year, and for good reason. The first two installments of director Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy earned widespread acclaim (and Best Picture nominations at the Oscars), already cementing the series as one of the greatest sci-fi film franchises of the decade. Moviegoers are very excited to see the story’s epic conclusion on the big screen, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been any concerns. General audiences may not have noticed, but Dune: Part Three made a big change behind the scenes, with cinematographer Linus Sandgren taking over for Greig Fraser (who shot the previous two films). Some fans were skeptical about the move, but after seeing the latest Dune: Part Three trailer, the consensus is overwhelmingly positive.
On social media, people have been reacting to the new Dune 3 trailer, and there are raves for Sandgren’s work on the film. Many feel his cinematography is actually an improvement over Fraser’s, which is high praise indeed. Take a look at a sampling of some of the responses in the space below:
Dune Cinematographer Change Explained: Why Were Fans Concerned About Sandgren?
The visuals of Dune are among the many reasons why the first two films are so beloved. As one might expect with Villeneuve at the helm, the movies are stunning to look at, fully immersing audiences in the world with an impressive sense of scale and scope. Fraser, who won an Oscar for his work on the first Dune and earned another nomination for Dune: Part Two, obviously played a significant role in crafting the visual style of the films. Dune has such a distinct look that the thought of anyone following Fraser’s footsteps made fans uneasy. With Dune: Part Three billed as the grand finale of the series, it would be a shame if it failed to live up to its predecessors in the visuals department.
Fraser was unable to return for Dune: Part Three (he’s part of the crew for Sam Mendes’ four Beatles biopics), so Villeneuve had no choice but to find a replacement. Sandgren is an extremely talented cinematographer in his own right, winning an Oscar for La La Land and earning other notable accolades for his work on projects like First Man, No Time to Die, and Babylon. With the exception of convincing his old collaborator Roger Deakins, arguably the greatest cinematographer of all time, to come back and make one more film (Deakins’ last credit was Empire of Light in 2022), Villeneuve couldn’t have done much better filling the void left by Fraser. Sandgren is one of the industry’s best, and Dune: Part Three is lucky to have him.
Sandgren has consistently delivered high-quality work, but he seems to have leveled up on Dune: Part Three. The look of the film is fittingly epic and awe-inspiring, perfect for a war story that’s taking cues from classics like Saving Private Ryan. Sandgren’s shots look impressive on phone and laptop screens; one can only imagine how magnificent they’ll look when Dune: Part Three arrives in theaters this holiday season. It’s easy to see why Warner Bros. prioritized securing IMAX showings, getting an exclusive run for Dune 3 before Marvel could swoop in with Avengers: Doomsday. Dune: Part Three is a film designed to be seen on the biggest of screens.
Maintaining a consistent visual style between franchise installments is an understandable goal, but in the case of Dune: Part Three, the change behind the camera could benefit the final product. Star Timotheé Chalamet has pointed out the differences between Part Three and the first two Dune movies, saying “This one [has] sort of its own energy … There’s a new tone.” That makes sense; the first two installments were essentially two halves of a single, sweeping story. Dune: Part Three is more of its own thing, so it should have more of its own look to reflect that. It should be a treat to see what Sandgren cooked up when Dune 3 premieres, and perhaps he’ll find himself on the Oscar stage again early next year.
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