Denis Villeneuve has brought together some of the biggest stars and greatest acting talents working today to star in his Dune movies. Timotheé Chalamet is the big headliner, but the science-fiction canon is populated with the likes of Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Christopher Walken, Oscar Isaac, Austin Butler, and many more. This in mind, it makes all the sense in the world that the upcoming sequel Dune: Messiah is looking to add Robert Pattinson in a significant role.
News of this development comes from Deadline, which has sources that say a formal deal has not been put out to to Pattinson, but there is “strong interest” in having the Batman star come aboard Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy capstone in the Dune universe. The trade report doesn’t include any details about the role that the actor could play in Dune: Messiah, but based on my knowledge of the Frank Herbert-authored source material, I think he could be a great fit for the part of antagonistic shapeshifter Scytale.
Set 12 years after Paul Atreides first ascends to the role of Emperor (as seen at the end of Dune: Part Two), Dune: Messiah centers on a conspiracy to take Paul out of power. Part of the group working to undermine the protagonist is a collection of characters including Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother Mohaim (portrayed by Charlotte Rampling in the previous two Dune movies), Irulan (Florence Pugh), and the aforementioned shapeshifter – a Face Dancer in Dune parlance – Scytale. When considering the collection of new characters in the book, it’s the most obvious fit for Robert Pattinson.
One would think that the biggest question mark in this potential casting would be about scheduling. The plan for Dune: Messiah is to shoot this summer ahead of a planned December 2026 release date, and he has a number of other big projects on his plate. He has reportedly completed work on writer/director Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama (co-starring Dune star Zendaya) and he is now working on Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey. And let’s also not forget that he has commitments to play the lead in Matt Reeves’ slow-developing The Batman Part II.
This is the first report we’re hearing about potential new cast members signing on for Dune: Messiah, and it will hopefully be the first of a flood in the coming weeks as the filmmakers look at actors to play vital roles in the movie (let’s not forget that Anya Taylor-Joy has locked up the role of Paul’s younger sister Alia following her surprise appearance in Dune: Part Two… but how the whole age thing works there is still unclear). We will also hopefully be hearing news soon about Jason Momoa officially signing on, as a being called a ghola modeled after Duncan Idaho plays an important role in the story.
Be on the lookout here on CinemaBlend in the weeks and months ahead as we learn more about Dune: Messiah, and if you’re now feeling a hunger two watch the blockbuster’s two Oscar-nominated predecessors, both are available to stream with a Max subscription.