Timothée Chalamet Hints Dune: Part Three Will Transform a Key Character
Timothée Chalamet teases a dramatic shift for Paul Atreides in Dune: Part Three, hinting at a bold new arc that could redefine the hero and the trajectory of Denis Villeneuve’s epic saga.
Paul Atreides is not the wide-eyed heir anymore. Timothee Chalamet says the next movie jumps forward, and his Paul has the years on him to prove it.
"Without giving too much away about Dune: Part Three, but I am playing older. And also someone who's been impacted by years of leadership and carries that weight. It's different."
So what is Dune: Part Three, exactly?
It is the third Denis Villeneuve Dune movie, adapting Frank Herbert's 1969 novel Dune Messiah (the second book in the series). The story moves 15 to 20 years after the end of Dune: Part Two, where Paul embraced his fate as Muad'Dib and seized the Imperial throne. Now, Chalamet is playing a version of Paul who has been leading for years and is feeling it.
Where things stand behind the scenes
Production kicked off in July, and during a chat with Adam Sandler last month, Chalamet revealed he finished his work on the film in November. Warner Bros. has the movie dated for theaters on December 18, 2026.
Who is in it
- Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides, now Emperor and older by 15–20 years
- Zendaya as Chani
- Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan
- Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck
- Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica
- Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides
- Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho (yes, again)
- Robert Pattinson is reportedly playing Scytale
- Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke as Leto II and Ghanima Atreides (Paul and Chani's twins)
The interesting wrinkles
Alia and Duncan being back should raise eyebrows for anyone who knows where Messiah goes. And the twins being in the mix tells you the time jump is not just cosmetic.
The team making it
Denis Villeneuve is back to direct from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts. Producing are Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Patrick McCormick, and Tanya Lapointe.
Why the hype is justified
Villeneuve's first two films were widely praised, and together they have hauled in over $1 billion worldwide. If you have been waiting to see how he tackles the darker, thornier chapter of Herbert's saga, this is that chapter.
Chalamet's quote comes via GamesRadar+. Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype.