Rebecca Ferguson in Dune 3: Messiah

News from the grand finale of the "Dune" saga: In an interview with IndieWire, actress Rebecca Ferguson revealed that she will be returning in her role of Lady Jessica for "Dune 3: Messiah".

One or two fans are sure to prick up their ears at this announcement, as Lady Jessica is hardly mentioned at all in the original book. However, director Denis Villeneuve seems to be taking a few liberties with the novel anyway. Ferguson said:

"I don't have a big part in this one, [she's] just barely in the book. I'm not sure I was supposed to be in it and Denis had a little idea. The script is phenomenal. It's really hard to create a film, it's such a dense book."

This "little idea" seems to have prompted director Denis Villeneuve to incorporate the character of Lady Jessica into the plot in an expanded form.

"There's so much to tell. [Denis] does dip in and out and he does try and he does want to have certain connections and tentacles to the book. Whatever Denis touches I think is phenomenal."

Ferguson's character was central to the first two "Dune" films. As a member of the mysterious Bene Gesserit sisterhood and mother of Paul Atreides, Lady Jessica guided her son's destiny and paved the way for him to become the prophesied Messiah and eventual ruler of the known universe.

In the novel "Dune: Messiah", however, Lady Jessica is largely absent. She lives on Caladan, the home world of the Atreides, and is only marginally involved in Paul's decisions. Villeneuve's decision to bring the character back nevertheless indicates that the director wants to give more weight to the emotional and familial aspects of the story. "Dune 3" opens in cinemas on December 18, 2026.

An emperor on the brink: the story of Dune 3

Like its predecessors, the third film is based on the books by Frank Herbert. The story is therefore already known – even if it may of course deviate from the original in detail. In this chapter, we reveal what awaits us in the new film according to the book. So if you're not in the mood for spoilers, it's best to skip straight to the next section.

The plot of "Dune Messiah" picks up twelve years after its predecessor. The jihad is raging on countless worlds and billions have lost their lives. Paul, who is now revered as the god-like emperor of the universe, sits on the golden throne of Arrakis. Thanks to his special abilities, he can see countless possible paths into the future – but almost all of them lead to the downfall of mankind. Only the so-called "golden path" can supposedly prevent this.

At the center of the story is a plot against Paul. The powerful houses, Emperor Shaddam IV, the Guild of Navigators, the Bene Gesserit and Princess Irulan fear Paul's growing power and are making secret plans to overthrow him. Their goal: to avert the "Golden Path", which they themselves perceive as a threat to humanity and their own interests. One of the central elements of the plot is Hayt – a resurrected version of the murdered Duncan Idaho, Paul's old mentor and friend. The latter is supposed to gain the trust of the new ruler, only to destroy him.

The relationship between Paul and Chani also plays a decisive role. Chani is pregnant and Paul sees in his visions that the birth will result in twins and Chani's death. This is a crucial turning point for him, as he is torn between his love for Chani and his knowledge of the necessity of the Golden Path. Here there is already a small difference to the films of Denis Villeneuve. At the end of "Dune 2", Chani leaves Paul and returns to the desert. So it remains exciting to see how this storyline will be realized in the new film.

The climax of the plot is an assassination attempt on Paul. A nuclear weapon is detonated during a celebration, which blinds Paul. However, his visions enable him to continue to see despite his physical blindness.

Shortly afterwards, Chani gives birth to the twins: Leto II and Ghanima. But as Paul had foreseen, Chani dies in childbirth. In a moment of deepest despair, he realizes that he can no longer avoid the Golden Path. The loss of his beloved Chani and the realization that his children are the key to saving humanity drive him to make a terrible decision.

After leaving his children in the care of Princess Irulan and his sister Alia, Paul sets off alone into the desert to die according to ancient Fremen tradition. His power is to be passed on to his children.

Cast and crew

Director Denis Villeneuve is once again relying on his proven ensemble: alongside Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, Florence Pugh returns as Princess Irulan and Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho – a comeback that connoisseurs of the original book are sure to have been eagerly awaiting. We will also get to see Anya Taylor-Joy as Paul's sister Alia Atreides.

None other than Robert Pattinson is in talks for the role of the so-called face dancer Scytale. However, official confirmation is still pending. Scytale is one of Paul Atreides' main antagonists and uses deception and genetic manipulation to challenge the Empire.

Denis Villeneuve remains on board as writer and director, bringing his vision of the "Dune" saga to a conclusion. The filmmaker announced in advance that the film will be his final contribution to the series. The film will also be very different from its predecessors. Instead of epic set-pieces and bombastic action, it will be more about intrigue and philosophical themes. There is one change at the camera: Linus Sandgren is responsible this time. He has already worked on "La La Land", "James Bond: No Time to Die" and "Saltburn", for example. We are curious to see whether this change will have an impact on the look of the film series.

Then Dune 3 will be released in cinemas

The theatrical release is currently scheduled for December 19, 2026. We may be in for an epic movie duel on this day, as "Avengers: Doomsday" is also set to premiere then. Some fans are already speculating about a new crossover phenomenon, similar to what happened with "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer". However, it is also quite possible that one of the two films will be postponed again.