Robert Pattinson has been confirmed for the cast of Dune 3, but as of now, it’s not entirely clear who he’ll be playing. Following the tremendous success of 2024’s Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve’s epic sci-fi franchise has become one of the most anticipated titles in cinema. Dune 3 is going to be based on Frank Herbert’s second novel in the series, Dune Messiah, though not many details about the adaptation are known aside from returning stars like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh.
The Dune films so far have been regarded for their unbelievable ensemble casts packed with A-list stars. This made the addition of Robert Pattinson all the more exciting. Rumors online suggest that Pattinson is playing the film’s primary antagonist, Scytale, though this isn’t confirmed, and Villeneuve’s knack for adjusting the source material could surprise audiences with who he’s actually portraying. It’s worth breaking down what it would mean if he’s playing Scytale, as well as other options.
WARNING: SPOILERS from the Dune books will vary from section to section, but I’ll generally try to avoid giving too much away!
Scytale
Character: Scytale is one of the Tleilaxu, also known as the Bene Tleilax, an advanced group who have developed a genetically-modified race of humans called Face Dancers, capable of transforming into other people. This will be the first time audiences see Face Dancers in the film franchise, but for those who’ve caught up on HBO’s Dune: Prophecy, the prequel series features one. Scytale is the most notable Face Dancer in Frank Herbert’s novels, who leads a coalition to take down Paul Atreides.
Likelihood: Scytale is the primary antagonist of Dune Messiah, making this an excellent role for Robert Pattinson to fill. Much like Austin Butler’s Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two, this would place Pattinson in the role of the strange, unnerving villain. In terms of a cinematic production, this bodes well for the marquee, especially after Butler’s success. This would be a substantial, one-off role for Pattinson, allowing him to contribute one of the offbeat, idiosyncratic performances he’s become known for.
The primary push-back on Scytale is that, as a Face Dancer, he would consistently be played by different actors throughout the film. Scytale is seldom in his usual form in the novel, which would mean limited screen time for Pattinson unless Villeneuve makes some changes. It’s certainly not out of the question, but it also might detract from the reason for casting Pattinson in the first place. As of now, this is still the leading option, but it’s worth theorizing about other compelling ideas.
Edric
Character: Edric is a Spacing Guild Navigator who is among the villains in Dune Messiah. Navigators in the Dune franchise consume spice to attain prescience for space travel, but the consistent consumption leads to physical transformation. The Navigators are enhanced by the spice, but it turns them into deprived, addicted beings who are forced to live in spice gas tanks, further mutating them.
Likelihood: Edric is a compelling choice for Robert Pattinson, as, though he might not be as prominent in the story, it would allow the actor to play an eccentric character whom he can fully claim as his own. Scytale is bizarre, but Edric is on another level entirely, described as a “vaguely humanoid with finned feet and hugely fanned membranous hands — a fish in a strange sea.” To play a character like that, who is actually a human being, is a character actor’s dream weirdo role.
As of now, Dune 3 hasn’t announced anything related to the character, so it’s unclear if Edric will play a role in the film at all, especially given that Villeneuve has cut the Spacing Guild from his previous editions. However, this also means he hasn’t had a confirmed casting, so the job is open for Pattinson.
Leto II
Character: Leto Atreides II is the son of Paul Atreides, who becomes a main character in the third novel, Children of Dune. Without giving too much away about him, Leto is an instrumental figure in the Dune franchise, but doesn’t actually appear as an adult in Dune Messiah.
Leto II was previously played by actor James McAvoy in the 2003 miniseries Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune.
Likelihood: Leto II is a compelling idea, as it would essentially fit Robert Pattinson into a cameo role for Dune 3, much like Anya Taylor-Joy’s appearance in Dune: Part Two, with him being shown in a vision. This casting would provide the Dune franchise with a leading star for future installments, paving the way for the next slate of films. It would also be a reason for keeping Pattinson’s role a secret, but the major drawback is the general unlikelihood of repeating the same cameo move and the lack of necessity for this change.
Release Date
December 18, 2026
Producers
Mary Parent
Franchise(s)
Dune
