Zendaya Goes Lead: ‘Dune: Part Three’ Campaign Shifts Chani to Best Actress in an Awards Category Shake-Up

Oscar campaigns are rarely decided by accident. Studios spend months studying the field, weighing performance time against competition, and figuring out which category gives an actor the best shot. For a big-budget sci-fi epic, those choices can quietly define an entire awards season.

That’s what makes the latest move around Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune‘ trilogy so interesting. The first two films earned a combined 15 Oscar nominations and won 8 awards, mostly in technical categories, yet none of the actors was recognized. With the final chapter arriving in December, the strategy is changing.

According to an exclusive from Variety, Zendaya will campaign in the lead actress category for her role as Chani in ‘Dune: Part Three.’ For the first two films, she was positioned in supporting actress, so the shift is a significant upgrade for an actress who has never received an Oscar nomination.

The decision reflects Chani’s expanded role in the story. ‘Dune: Part Three’ is set nearly two decades after Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, seized control of the Imperium, and it adapts Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune Messiah.’ Awards watchers say the upgrade suggests Chani has far more to do this time, though it’s hard to know for sure until audiences see the film.

World of Reel called the move a curveball. The assumption heading into the season was that Warner Bros. would stick with the supporting playbook, and there were even some who wondered how much Zendaya would appear in the film at all.

Going lead is not the easiest route. The Best Actress field is already crowded, and one analyst notes that releasing a December sci-fi spectacle isn’t the path of least resistance. Science fiction has also historically struggled to earn acting nominations, and none of the performers from the first 2 films were recognized.

Still, the upside is clear. Gold Derby previously suggested the movie could be her best shot at a first nomination, either in lead or supporting. By choosing lead, Warner Bros. is betting that Chani’s emotional arc is strong enough to compete at the top of the ballot.

The decision comes at the end of an exceptionally busy year for the 30-year-old. ‘The Odyssey’ crossed a billion dollars at the box office, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ made even more, and ‘The Drama’ became a sleeper hit. ‘Dune: Part Three’ could make it a third film to cross that mark.

She is also expected to be in the supporting actress conversation for ‘The Odyssey,’ where she plays Athena alongside Anne Hathaway, Samantha Morton and Charlize Theron. That could put her in contention across multiple categories and films this season. She has 2 Emmys for ‘Euphoria’ and a Golden Globe, but no Oscar nomination yet.

“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

The film’s marketing offers some clues about Chani’s journey. The first full trailer, released July 8, shows Paul and Chani at odds, with Paul having betrayed her in his quest for power. That conflict could give Zendaya the kind of dramatic material voters tend to reward.

The film is set 17 years after ‘Dune: Part Two’ and sees Paul facing the consequences of his reign as a ruthless emperor. Old allies return, new threats emerge and betrayal lurks in every shadow. The cast includes Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson as the villain Scytale, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Charlotte Rampling and Isaach de Bankolé.

‘Dune: Part Three’ arrives in theaters and Imax on December 18, from Warner Bros. That’s the same day as Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ setting up one of the biggest head-to-head openings in years. Filming took place from July to November 2025 in locations including Budapest and Abu Dhabi.

Villeneuve has said he always envisioned ‘Dune’ as a 3-part story, making this a planned conclusion rather than the start of an extended franchise. If the film delivers, it could also pull a ‘Return of the King’-style run through the awards season, as one outlet put it.

For now, the campaign is just a plan. Zendaya’s chances will depend on how much screen time Chani gets, how critics respond and how the rest of the field looks by the time ballots are cast. The decision itself, though, shows that Warner Bros. believes the role is strong enough to carry that weight.

It’s also a reminder that the final ‘Dune’ film is being positioned as more than a blockbuster. Whether Academy voters agree remains to be seen.

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