DUNE: PART THREE Star Jason Momoa Promises to "Unleash Hell" as Duncan Idaho Returns More Dangerous Than Ever
Jason Momoa is returning to Arrakis in Dune: Part Three, but fans expecting the same Duncan Idaho from the first movie are in for a surprise. The actor is taking on a very different version of the character, and he's teasing a much more dangerous personality along with an intense new relationship with Paul Atreides.
Fans will remember Duncan's heroic death in 2021's Dune, when he fought off an army of Sardaukar soldiers to give Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) a chance to escape. It was a fitting end for the loyal warrior, but death works a little differently in Frank Herbert's universe.
As revealed in the trailers for Dune: Part Three, Duncan is back, although he's technically not Duncan anymore. Momoa is playing Hayt, a genetically engineered replica known as a "ghola" who retains fragments of Duncan's memories but has a personality of his own.
Readers familiar with Dune Messiah already know where this story is headed, but Momoa recently told Empire that stepping into Hayt's shoes wasn't exactly what he expected when he signed on for the franchise.
"It was nerve-wracking. It’s one of those things where you’re like, 'I didn’t sign up to play this guy. I signed up to play the other guy.'"
Fortunately, Momoa found something to enjoy in this darker version of the character, particularly when it came time to embrace his more aggressive side.
"I was just waiting to get to that point where you’re like, 'This is my guy, man. I’m going to unleash hell on everyone!'"
The return of Duncan also comes with a major change in his relationship with Paul. Nearly two decades have passed since Paul seized control of the Imperium, and the young man Duncan once protected has become a ruthless Emperor carrying the weight of his decisions.
Momoa explained that Chalamet brought an entirely different energy to their scenes together, and the two actors pushed each other in some pretty intense ways.
"It’s a whole 'nother person, what he brings to being the Emperor," he teased. "It’s just strong, silent and violent. Me and him will geek out a little bit [between takes], but then we got to get back to being serious.
“He was really in it. I was like, 'Wow, I cannot believe he just went toe to toe with me physically and mentally.' That guy comes in like a nuke, man."
It's going to be cool seeing Momoa return to the franchise, especially with a character who operates under an entirely different mindset. Duncan was one of Paul's most trusted protectors, so bringing him back as Hayt creates an interesting situation now that Paul has become someone his former friend might not recognize.
The story picks up nearly 20 years after Paul's rise to power, with the Emperor facing the devastating consequences of his reign. As rebellion spreads and powerful enemies move against him, Paul becomes caught in a conspiracy involving old allies, new threats, and Chani, played by Zendaya.
His visions of the Imperium's possible collapse only complicate matters as he struggles to protect the people he loves while holding on to an empire that could be heading toward destruction.
Denis Villeneuve returns to direct the final chapter of his Dune trilogy from a screenplay he co-wrote with Brian K. Vaughan.
There's still plenty we don't know about how Hayt will factor into Villeneuve's adaptation, but the idea of Momoa playing a more unpredictable version of Duncan Idaho is already an exciting prospect.
Dune: Part Three arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.