
Dune star confirms he is returning in third film: ‘If you didn't read the books, it's not my fault'
Fans who believed they had seen the last of Jason Momoa 's Duncan Idaho in Dune can rest easy as the actor has confirmed he is returning in the final part of the trilogy.
The Game of Thrones star appeared in the first instalment of the sci-fi blockbuster, Dune, in 2021, playing Duncan Idaho, a swordmaster of House Atreides, who mentors Timothée Chalamet 's Paul Atreides in the martial arts.
Idaho sacrifices himself to allow Paul and his mother Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson, time to escape an ambush, similar to how he dies in the Frank Herbert novel that the Denis Villeneuve -directed film is adapted from.
He did not reprise his role in Dune: Part Two, which released in 2024.
Speaking to Craig Melvin on Today, Momoa confirmed his appearance in Dune 3, which is reportedly based on Herbert's Dune Messiah.
'I'm making a comeback,' said the Aquaman star. 'You heard it first, right here with you, baby.'
In Dune Messiah, which takes place 12 years after the events of Dune: Part Two, Idaho is brought back as Hayt, a clone of his former self, and presented to Paul.
When asked if his role in the third film would follow the trajectory his character took in the books, Momoa turned coy, but didn't appear to be upset that he may have revealed a spoiler.
'Well, I'm not sure if I'm going to get in trouble or not, but it's the same thing like Game of Thrones, you know what I mean?' Momoa said.
'If you didn't read the books, it's not my fault, right? Yeah, there's going to be … I'm going to be coming back.'
Reports from April 2024 stated that the third film, still untitled, was already in development. In February this year, reports said shooting was expected to begin this summer, but June was considered too early with a mid-late summer start seen as more feasible.
Zendaya is likely to return as Chani, but production will likely have to work around her busy 2025 schedule, which includes Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, a fourth Spider-Man film and Euphoria season 3.
The epic adaptation has proven a huge hit for the director and Warner Bros, with Dune: Part Two earning over $700m (£555m) worldwide and five Oscar nominations.
In February 2024, even before the release of Dune: Part Two, Villeneuve shared that the third film would be his final instalment in the franchise.
The director said in December 2023 that Dune Messiah was 'being written right now', adding: 'The screenplay is almost finished but it is not finished. It will take a little time … There's a dream of making a third movie … it would make absolute sense to me.'
Momoa revealed in 2021 that he snuck an Easter egg into the first film in tribute to his son. Idaho's martial arts moves were heavily inspired by the Filipino national martial art of Kali.
In an interview with IndieWire, Momoa said that he 'never really learned' the martial art style prior to Dune, though his son knew it well.
'My son does that,' Momoa said. 'There's definitely these intimate moments where I'm signalling to my son. That's a Kali move, where you put your hand on your heart and put it on your head. That's to Timothée in the movie, but that's to my son in real life.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Why delete this?': Fans in awe of Sinners cut scene
A deleted scene from Ryan Coogler 's film Sinners, which debuted in April 2025, has been released and is generating strong reactions online. The scene features Delroy Lindo performing a song at the piano in a split diopter shot, with other characters watching admiringly. Fans have expressed disappointment that the scene was cut from the original film, praising the performance and the framing. Ryan Coogler, who had final say on the movie, also negotiated a deal with Warner Bros to own the film after 25 years, allowing him to receive royalties. The physical release of Sinners is set for July 8 and will include several bonus features, with the film being celebrated for its cast performances and blues soundtrack set in the Jim Crow era.


Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Game of Thrones to Bake Off: The surprising way Scots are falling for orchestral music
Who knew that Sunday night telly could be your gateway to Mozart? Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... New research from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) reveals a surprising truth: even if you don't think you're into orchestral music, your TV choices may well say otherwise. A whopping 77% of Scottish adults say TV soundtracks have inspired them to explore the genre further — proving that symphonies and piano concertos aren't just for concert halls anymore. Top of the pops for orchestral discovery? When it comes to the TV shows that inspired people to discover orchestral music, the top choices for Scots were Peaky Blinders (25%), Game of Thrones (19%), followed by; The Crown (18%), Bridgerton (16%), Downton Abbey (16%) and Planet Earth (15%). From dragons to period dramas, it seems Britain's orchestral crush has a killer soundtrack. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Each of these TV shows brings orchestral music to life in its own distinct way — whether it's the brooding cello-led themes of Game of Thrones, Bridgerton's playful string covers of modern pop, Downton's elegant chamber arrangements, or the gritty, genre-blending edge of Peaky Blinders. Downtown Abbey 'We've long-known that orchestral music can stir the soul,' says Tom Philpott, Director of Artistic Planning at the RPO. 'But what's striking is how important popular media is in helping to introduce new audiences to the orchestral world. The influence of orchestral film and TV soundtracks is well documented, but it goes far beyond that. "Our computer game concert this June highlights the significance of gaming in inspiring orchestral discovery – and our new research confirms that TV shows give millions of people an everyday connection to the orchestral genre as well. All these media play their part in introducing diverse audiences to orchestral music, ensuring the genre is relevant to contemporary society – and signposting new audiences to discover more, online and in the concert hall.' Among younger viewers, hits like Bridgerton (27%), The Great British Bake Off (20%) and even Doctor Who (23%)are opening up the orchestral world. Meanwhile,the evergreen charm of Downton Abbey (19%), Planet Earth (13%), Antiques Roadshow (10%) and Poldark (11%), are winning over older audiences. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sarah Bardwell, Managing Director at the RPO adds: 'This cultural shift comes as historical and period dramas dominate headlines and awards, including this year's BAFTA Television Awards. The continued popularity of shows like Mr Bates vs The Post Office and Shōgun reflects a deep audience appetite for stories that echo the past, while resonating with present-day themes. "As it turns out, it's not just the costumes and drama drawing people in — it's the music too. For many, TV isn't just background noise — it's an unexpected bridge to a centuries-old art form. Who would have thought the Great British Bake Off could lead you to Beethoven?'


Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
Breakingviews - WBD boss David Zaslav reprises Elmer Fudd act
NEW YORK, June 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - David Zaslav's acquisition hunt backfired as badly as Elmer Fudd's rabbit quest. The Warner Bros Discovery (WBD.O), opens new tab boss is now unbundling his $60 billion spending spree that first bought Scripps Networks Interactive and then the owner of HBO, Looney Tunes and CNN. Deal-related debt also tees up a breakup that will potentially be just as hapless. WBD unveiled plans to separate, opens new tab its streaming services and film studio from its cable networks into two publicly traded entities. The legacy TV business will keep up to a 20% stake in its sister company, which Zaslav will run. The breakup became practically inevitable almost immediately after the ink dried on Discovery's $43 billion merger, opens new tab with WarnerMedia in 2022, which followed the $15 billion takeover, opens new tab of Scripps five years earlier. Building a successful TV, film and video-streaming behemoth proved as elusive as wascally wabbits. Netflix (NFLX.O), opens new tab, YouTube and others were too hard to catch. Zaslav fell $4 billion short of his $14 billion EBITDA target in 2023 and didn't even come close to the sum the next year either. About $34 billion of net debt complicates the breakup. Details have not yet been disclosed, but Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels said a majority of it is destined for the cable networks outfit that he will lead, while the streaming arm will keep a 'not insignificant' amount. Zaslav is trying to pare down the amount by offering to buy back as much as $15 billion of it at a premium to where it had been trading pre-announcement, backed by a new term loan from JPMorgan. Under the terms, creditors who don't participate in the cash tender over the next month will be left with unsecured holdings that may get knocked further down the capital structure. It's unlikely that this bit of financial engineering will help with the next, as both companies are still apt to be heavily indebted. WBD shareholders have become exasperated with Zaslav's cartoonish antics. With a stock price that has tumbled from about $30 to below $10 over the past four or so years, they rejected his lavish $52 million pay package. He may yet orchestrate another deal or two, perhaps finding buyers for each of the companies if he manages to pull off the split. Given his past performance, however, there may be more hare-brained ideas along the way. Follow Jennifer Saba on Bluesky, opens new tab and LinkedIn, opens new tab.