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Big actor being considered to play the villain 'Dune: Messiah'

By Chris Morgan | Last updated Apr 9, 2025 6:37 PM ET

From the beginning, the "Dune" series has been packed with movie stars. As a baseline, the first film gave us Timothee Chalamet in the lead as Paul Atreides alongside the likes of Jason Momoa and Oscar Isaac. Zendaya, one of the biggest stars in the world, was basically just around to set up a larger role in the second movie. That second film also added Florence Pugh and Austin Butler. A third film, tentatively titled "Dune: Messiah" and thus likely based on the Frank Herbert book of the same name, is in the works. Denis Villenueve, director of the first two films, says it will be his final "Dune" project (though he's cool with somebody else picking things up if they want). Can the director possibly bolster this cast even further? Based on speculation, he's going to try.

The scuttlebutt is that Robert Pattinson is the leader in the clubhouse to play the villain in the third "Dune" movie.

Though nothing is official, Villenueve has shown that he can clearly get name actors for these movies, even if the roles aren't central. One presumes the villain in "Dune: Messiah" will be an important, sizable role. Pattinson also has the name recognition and star power to be cast in such a part. Also, he's a good actor. He's also in need of a bit of a rebound to ensure his star power does not wane.

Pattinson was most recently seen in the lead role of Bong Joon-ho's "Mickey 17," though it may have been apropos to put "seen" in scare quotes. That film, Bong's follow-up to the Oscar-winning "Parasite," got middling reviews and tanked at the box office. This opens up questions as to whether or not Pattinson is enough to drive people to the theaters in and of himself, but he can certainly be a cog in the machine of a well-oiled franchise.

Speaking of impressive ensembles, Pattinson is part of Christopher Nolan's epic "The Odyssey," which is also a follow-up film to a Best Picture winner. That puts the erstwhile Edward Cullen in position to be in a couple big blockbuster successes, which might then allow him a chance to star in another weirdo venture with a substantive budget. Well, not that "Dune" is terribly normcore. It has drugs that turn your eyes blue, giant sandworms and witches with magic voices.

With or without Pattinson, "Dune: Messiah" is schedule, for now, for a December 2026 release.

(h/t The Hollywood Reporter)

Chris Morgan

Chris Morgan is a Detroit-based culture writer who has somehow managed to justify getting his BA in Film Studies. He has written about sports and entertainment across various internet platforms for years and is also the author of three books about '90s television.

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