Robert Pattinson is rumored to be joining Dune: Messiah, the third film in this epic franchise. Several major media outlets have reported that Pattinson is in talks to play the main villain. If true, he will join Jason Momoa and Anya Taylor-Joy who have already been confirmed to appear.
The character that Pattinson is expected to play is Scytale, a villain who has an extraordinary ability: he can shapeshift into anyone. He comes from a mysterious group called the Bene Tleilax, who are experts in genetic technology and create creatures called Face Dancers.
These characters can transform into other people, even across genders. In the novel Dune: Messiah, Scytale is the main antagonist who devises a conspiracy to overthrow Paul Atreides, the main character in the series.
He teams up with characters who have appeared in previous films, such as Reverend Mother Mohiam and Princess Irulan, Paul's wife who he married for political reasons. This conspiracy will also introduce several new characters who have not appeared in the previous two films.
Interestingly, if Pattinson does play Scytale, he will face a unique challenge: playing a character who constantly changes appearance. This will certainly be a challenge in acting, especially considering that the visualization of shape changes in films is not as easy as imagining it in books.
The film Dune: Messiah itself will further explore the dark and complex side of the Dune world. If in the first film the story felt quite “safe”, and in Dune: Part Two it started to feel more complex, then in this third film the audience will be presented with a much stranger and darker story.
Paul, now emperor and considered a messiah by the Fremen, begins to see visions of a terrifying future. He knows that his leadership could bring destruction, but is confused about how to deal with it. Scytale wasn't Paul's only challenge. The Bene Tleilax also created a clone of Paul's close friend, Duncan Idaho, named Hayt.
This clone initially remembers nothing of his past, and was designed to break Paul's mental state. Duncan Idaho himself is played by Jason Momoa, who has confirmed that he will return in the third film. From a personal life perspective, Paul also faces pressure.
He refused to have children with Princess Irulan, but had twins with Chani, who was actually just a concubine. In the story, these children are used as a tool to pressure Paul. Even Scytale threatened to kill them and offered Chani's clones in exchange after Chani died.
However, it is not yet clear how this plot will be adapted in the film version. Robert Pattinson's inclusion is actually not a surprise. Warner Bros., the studio behind Dune, has worked with him on films like Tenet, The Batman, and Mickey 17.
Pattinson's successful performance in playing unique characters is an added value. In Mickey 17 , for example, she played multiple versions of one character with varying personalities—a skill that was a perfect fit for the role of Scytale. Dune : Messiah is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
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