Robert Pattinson Rumored for Dune 3 Role: Which Character?

The next installment in the Dune saga from Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures is coming into focus, with director Denis Villeneuve set to return for Dune 3. Alongside him, the core cast including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Anya Taylor-Joy will be back. Excitement is building as Deadline reports that Robert Pattinson is being considered for a major role in Dune 3. This suggests that The Batman star might expand his presence in Warner Bros. franchises in the coming years.

While it's still early days and the exact character Pattinson will portray remains under wraps, THR suggests he’ll be playing a villain. Drawing from the narrative of the previous films and Frank Herbert's novels, let's explore the most likely characters Pattinson could embody in the next chapter of the epic saga.

Scytale

If Dune 3 primarily adapts the narrative of Dune Messiah, the pool of new characters for Pattinson to play is relatively limited. Among them, Scytale emerges as a prime candidate, and it's the role THR speculates Pattinson might take on.

Scytale stands as the primary antagonist in Messiah, orchestrating a plot against Emperor Paul Atreides, who now governs the galaxy with an army of fervent Fremen followers. Having witnessed Paul's transformation from a sheltered duke's son to a messianic figure in the first two films, Dune 3 will likely delve into the trials of his reign. Scytale, working with a Guild Navigator named Edric, exploits the spice's ability to distort time and space, thus evading Paul's precognitive abilities.

A compelling and complex figure, Scytale is a shapeshifting Face Dancer and a member of the technologically adept Bene Tleilax. This role offers Pattinson a chance to explore darker, villainous depths, a departure from his usual heroic portrayals in franchise films. Furthermore, Scytale's story arc in the novels suggests that Pattinson could return in future sequels, given the character's intriguing developments.

Thus, Scytale is the most probable character for Pattinson to portray in Dune 3. However, other possibilities exist that could leverage Pattinson's talents.

Leto Atreides II

Given Pattinson's star power and his resemblance to Chalamet, another Atreides family member comes to mind: Leto Atreides II. This character plays a pivotal role throughout the Dune saga. There are two Leto IIs; the first, Paul's son in the original novel, has a minor role, while the second, introduced in Dune Messiah, grows to be central to the series' subsequent books.

Although Leto II is just an infant in Messiah, the films have already introduced spice-induced visions of future family members, as seen with Anya Taylor-Joy's portrayal of Alia in Dune: Part Two. Could Pattinson appear in a similar vision as Leto II? Moreover, with the films diverging from the source material, as evidenced by Zendaya's Chani's altered ending in Part Two, Pattinson's casting as Leto II could set the stage for his continued involvement in the franchise, culminating in his portrayal of the iconic worm god in God Emperor of Dune.

Prince Farad'n Corrino

If Dune 3 blends elements from Dune Messiah and Children of Dune, another potential role for Pattinson could be Prince Farad'n. As the grandson of the deposed Emperor Shaddam IV, Farad'n is groomed on the harsh world of Salusa Secundus to reclaim the throne. Yet, unlike his mother Wensicia, he harbors no strong desire for power, preferring a quieter life of reading and study.

Farad'n's complex nature could allow Pattinson to explore a more nuanced villain, aligning with the series' themes of reluctant leaders and the moral ambiguities of power.

Dune: Part 2 Character Posters

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A New Fremen Character

Given the significant changes made in Dune: Part Two, particularly with Chani's altered storyline, Dune 3 might introduce new characters. Villeneuve could create a new villain within Chani's faction of Fremen opposing Paul. Pattinson could portray a character who fights against Paul's crusade, perhaps even sparking a love triangle with Chani, adding depth to her conflicted feelings about Paul and complicating her journey towards motherhood with Leto II and Ghanima.

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For more insights into the future of the Dune franchise, learn about the spoiler-y revelation Jason Momoa made about the next movie.