‘Supergirl’ Star Jason Momoa Reveals Why He Returned for ‘Dune: Part Three’: It’s Anya Taylor-Joy
Few fans expected to see Duncan Idaho again after the swordmaster’s last stand in ‘Dune.’ His character died in the 2021 film and did not appear in ‘Dune: Part Two,’ which made Jason Momoa’s return in ‘Dune: Part Three’ one of the franchise’s bigger surprises.
Momoa himself spilled the news on March 31, 2025, when he told TODAY’s Craig Melvin, “I’m making a comeback.” He joked that anyone who had not read the books could not blame him, a nod to the fact that Duncan comes back in Frank Herbert’s sequel novel in the form of a clone.
Now a 9-second video clip gives fans a fresh explanation. A fan asks how Duncan is still kicking, and Momoa answers with a grin that he came for Anya Taylor-Joy, who appears beside him in the clip. The reply reads as a joke, but it points at one of the most talked-about pairings in the new film.
Taylor-Joy plays Alia Atreides, Paul’s sister. She appeared only briefly in a vision that Paul has in ‘Dune: Part Two,’ a cameo that lasted a few seconds, and her role grows considerably in the third film.
The final trailer offered a glimpse of Duncan’s connection to Alia, a storyline that is among the most debated in Herbert’s novels. That makes the on-screen chemistry between the two a major point of curiosity for book readers.
Jason Momoa on returning as Duncan in Dune Part 3 "I came for [Anya Taylor-Joy]" https://t.co/KLeWzAC1JX
— CoveredGeekly (@CoveredGeekly) November 9, 2026
Momoa is not exactly playing Duncan this time. His character is Hayt, a ghola, which is the franchise’s word for a clone reanimated from Idaho’s genetic material. Fans were distracted by how unrecognizable he looks in the trailer, which makes sense given the clean-shaven new look.
In the book, the Tleilaxu create Hayt and send him to Paul as a gift, but he is programmed to tempt Paul and even tries to kill him before Duncan’s memories return. Momoa said in an interview with The New York Times, as relayed by IGN, that the two characters come to blows on screen, with Paul getting the upper hand.
Momoa has said he found the twist nerve-wracking, because he signed on to play Duncan and suddenly found himself playing someone else entirely. He also shaved his beard for the first time in about 6 years to prepare for the role.
Denis Villeneuve returns to direct the film, which adapts Herbert’s 1969 novel ‘Dune Messiah.’ Villeneuve has called it a thriller, and it takes a darker turn than the first 2 movies. It arrives in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026, the same day as ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ which has fans calling the showdown “Dunesday.” Production began on July 7, 2025, in Budapest, and Hans Zimmer returns to compose the score.
Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, joined by Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Javier Bardem as Stilgar and Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck. Robert Pattinson joins as the villain Scytale, Ida Brooke plays Ghanima Atreides and Momoa’s son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, plays Leto II Atreides.
Taylor-Joy is already generating buzz. Chalamet said at a global IMAX fan event in Burbank on July 8 that her performance as Alia is genuinely terrifying, and the footage released so far mostly shows her screaming while covered in blood. Taylor-Joy has said she cried when production wrapped on what she called her dream job.
“Forgive me for all I’ve done.” Experience the epic conclusion. Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. #DuneMovie #FilmedforIMAX https://t.co/x9Nftg9yXd
— DUNE (@dunemovie) July 8, 2026
Momoa’s comeback also doubles as a father-and-son moment. With his son making his theatrical debut as a key member of the Atreides family, the actor has plenty of reasons to be excited about the finale, even if he jokes that Taylor-Joy is the real draw.
Villeneuve has described Momoa’s return as an important one for the story, with a major impact on Paul. How the film handles that relationship, along with the Hayt and Alia pairing, will likely drive much of the conversation when the trilogy ends.
What are you most excited to see in 'Dune: Part Three'?
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