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Which major actor could play the villain in Dune 3?
Nearly a year after the release of the highly acclaimed Dune: Part Two, director Denis Villeneuve has revealed some details about the third (and final) installment of the saga, titled Dune: Messiah (or Dune 3), which is set to begin filming in June 2025. And we now know which major actor might take on the role of the villain… Numéro brings you the latest.
Dune 2, a monumental box office success
The beginning of 2024 was undeniably marked by the release of Dune: Part Two, which benefited from a massive international promotional campaign.
Beyond the successful press events featuring the film’s impressive cast, the second chapter of the Dune saga (based on the work of author Frank Herbert) was a true box office hit, surpassing 4 million admissions in France alone and grossing over $700 million worldwide.
Led by Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, with Léa Seydoux, the enigmatic Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, and Javier Bardem, the film unfolds as a sci-fi epic steeped in Shakespearean revenge.
Now available on DVD and on demand, the film leaves fans wondering: when will Dune: Messiah hit theaters? According to the latest updates, it may arrive sooner than expected…
Indeed, Denis Villeneuve told the American outlet Deadline that he “would return behind the camera as soon as he could” to shoot the final installment of the saga adapted from Frank Herbert. “I’m deep in the writing process,” he added, carefully avoiding the term Dune 3.
Will Dune: Messiah, the final chapter of the saga, be starring Robert Pattinson?
In an interview with Time Magazine last January, Denis Villeneuve stated that Dune: Messiah would be his last film set in the Dune universe.
Although the cast of the upcoming film has yet to be confirmed, it’s likely that several key actors from the previous installments will return. Timothée Chalamet, Charlotte Rampling, and even Anya Taylor-Joy may reprise their roles in this highly anticipated third chapter.
On April 8, 2025, the American media outlet Deadline revealed that another major actor could join the cast of Dune: Messiah. Reportedly, Denis Villeneuve has approached Robert Pattinson to join the project—but for which role? According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor, recently seen in Mickey 17 (2025), could indeed take on the role of the film’s main antagonist, portraying the character Scytale.
Inspired by Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel Dune Messiah, the third chapter of the saga is expected to once again feature Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides. Now emperor, he must face numerous enemies both outside and within his palace.
Dune 3 Set for Release in 2026
According to production company Warner Bros., Denis Villeneuve’s new film is expected to be released in U.S. theaters on December 18, 2026. Filming could even begin in June, according to an American reporter. However, it remains to be seen whether this film will indeed be Dune: Messiah, as the Canadian director is also reportedly working on a film adaptation of the thriller Nuclear War: A Scenario (2024) by American author and journalist Annie Jacobsen.
In the meantime, Dune fans can look forward to revisiting Frank Herbert’s dystopian universe in the series Dune: Prophecy (releasing late 2024 on Max), which centers on the Bene Gesserit clan and serves as a prequel to Denis Villeneuve’s films.
The film Dune: Messiah (2026) by Denis Villeneuve does not yet have an official release date.
