n just a few short years, Denis Villeneuve's Dune movies have established itself themselves as some of the best sci-fi movies of all time. The blockbusters (which are streaming with a Max subscription) have even won an Oscar, and fans are eagerly anticipation information about the threequel Messiah. And Jason Momoa decided to give the people what they wanted by confirming his return as Duncan Idaho.
Villeneuve confirmed he was writing Dune: Messiah back in October of 2024, and it sounds like he might already be talking to some actors. Because when Momoa appeared on Today, he let slip that he would be reprising that role, saying:
I’m making a comeback. You heard it first, right here with you, baby.
That seems petty cut and dry. The Game of Thrones actor is known for getting overly excited about upcoming projects, like when he nearly showed CinemaBlend his look for Lobo. While appearing on Today, he lamented letting this slip, joking:
You got me in trouble!
Of course, the biggest question is exactly how Duncan might be used in the third movie's story. After all, the 2021 original movie saw Jason Momoa's character seemingly perish in order to allow Paul and Lady Jessica's escape. He was understandably missing from Part Two, which makes his return in Messiah all the more surprising, especially for those unfamiliar with the books. As for those who know the story of Messiah, they might have seen this coming.
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With the supernatural very much in play for the franchise, it does make the narrative possibilities of Dune: Messiah pretty endless. For example, saw Paul meet his unborn sister Alia (played by Anya Taylor-Joy) and they speak despite her still being in the womb. Add in the visions that Paul has and the powers of the Bene Gesserit, and there are plenty of ways that a vision of Duncan might end up appearing. Whether Villeneuve follows the book exactly or puts his own spin on the story remains to be seen.
It certainly seems like Jason Momoa has a number of exciting projects in the works, including multiple collaborations with Warner Bros. Both Dune and the DCU are under that studio, and his portrayal of Lobo in the latter in particularly anticipated by moviegoers. He clearly has a good relationship with the studio, including his tenure playing Arthur Curry/ Aquaman in the DCEU.
While Denis Villeneuve originally mentioned wanting a break from the Dune franchise after shooting and releasing two installments in quick succession, it seems that the acclaimed filmmaker simply can't wait to return to Arrakis. It's currently unclear when the threequel Dune: Messiah will arrive in theaters, so don't expect it on the list of 2025 movie releases.