Timothée Chalamet Says Anya Taylor-Joy's DUNE: PART THREE Performance Is "Actually Terrifying"
The hype for Dune: Part Three keeps building, and if Timothée Chalamet is to be believed, fans aren't ready for what Anya Taylor-Joy is bringing to the screen.
The first trailer has already given audiences another glimpse at Taylor-Joy's return after her surprise appearance at the end of Dune: Part Two, but it sounds like that cameo was only a small taste of what's coming. According to Chalamet, her expanded role in the next chapter is going to leave audiences stunned.
While attending the Global IMAX Fan Event in Los Angeles on July 8, Chalamet couldn't stop talking about his co-star's work in the upcoming film.
He said, "Anya is something special in this movie," adding that he "didn't really get to work with her on the second one", where she only appeared briefly.
Chalamet then looked back on Taylor-Joy's arrival on set and explained just how much of an impression she made. "The first day Anya stepped on set, just visually, it was breathtaking. She is unbelievable in this movie. That's not media hyperbole. She's actually terrifying and amazing."
He also praised director Denis Villeneuve and cinematographer Linus Sandgren, crediting both filmmakers for helping shape what sounds like one of the movie's standout performances.
Taylor-Joy is stepping into a much bigger role as Alia Atreides, Paul's younger sister. Unlike her brief introduction in Dune: Part Two, Alia will have a significant presence in the story, and Taylor-Joy has already teased the complicated nature of the character.
She explained, "Alia has a very intense blessing/curse situation. The one thing that she really feels most strongly about is her love and devotion to her brother, because that is the only person who's ever made her feel like she makes sense. He's understood her from before she was even born."
Villeneuve has also confirmed that Dune: Part Three won't pick up where the previous film left off. The story jumps ahead 17 years after the events of Dune: Part Two, giving the next installment a very different feel.
According to the filmmaker, the movie "will be very different, with a different tone, with a different rhythm, with a different pace."
Another major addition to the cast is Robert Pattinson, who joins the franchise as the mysterious Scytale. Chalamet also shared his excitement about working with Pattinson again, saying, "I worked with Rob before. I knew how good he was."
Everything we've heard so far makes it sound like Dune: Part Three isn't just aiming to be a bigger sequel. With a substantial time jump, new characters stepping into the spotlight, and Taylor-Joy finally getting the chance to fully unleash Alia Atreides, this next chapter could end up being the most intense entry in the series yet.
We'll find out just how "actually terrifying" Taylor-Joy's performance is when Dune: Part Three arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.