Timothée Chalamet Teases Older, Battle-Worn Paul in Dune 3
The actor reveals his character will carry the burden of leadership in the upcoming sequel, set decades after the previous film with a dramatically different tone.
The third installment of Denis Villeneuve's epic space saga will showcase a dramatically transformed Paul Atreides, as Timothée Chalamet recently disclosed during promotional activities for his latest project, Marty Supreme. The upcoming sequel jumps forward 15 to 20 years from where audiences last saw the desert planet's reluctant messiah.
A Transformed Leader
Chalamet shared exclusive insights about his evolved character, explaining how time and power have fundamentally changed Paul. "Without giving too much away about Dune: Part Three, but I am playing older. And also someone who's been impacted by years of leadership and carries that weight. It's different," the actor revealed.
The weight of ruling an intergalactic empire has clearly taken its toll on the once-idealistic young man. This version of Paul bears the scars of difficult decisions and the burden of absolute power, promising a more complex and mature portrayal than previous films.
Meeting Creative Challenges
When pressed about how this character evolution affects the movie's overall atmosphere, Chalamet remained cautious but optimistic about Villeneuve's approach. "I don't want to say too much. But what I will say is Denis' been so incredibly spot on about realizing the challenge. I mean, a lot of the creative conversations Denis and I had – which are really his creative corner, and worldview and script development that I really have little to do with – were well aware of the challenges of making a third film."
The actor expressed admiration for the director's willingness to tackle the notorious difficulty of creating successful trilogy conclusions. "And I thought it was inspiring from an artist's point of view, not necessarily from an acting one, but from an artist's point of view, to go, 'Wow, look at this guy really meet the challenges of a third film head on, when the first two have been well-received'."
Contrasting Projects
Chalamet also discussed the advantages of working on two vastly different projects simultaneously. The stark contrast between his roles in Marty Supreme and the space epic actually helped him navigate both performances more effectively.
"Had the roles been similar, it might have been more complicated. I'd have thought, 'Oh, man… How do I not let these roles bleed into each other?'" he explained. "They are such different roles and the tones of the film couldn't be more different. A high-wire, Safdie brother, New York, 1950s period piece about a borderline delusional, ambitious character in contrast to a Denis Villeneuve sci-fi epic space opera."
Production wrapped last month with returning cast members Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Josh Brolin, Christopher Walken, and Jason Momoa, while Robert Pattinson joins as a newcomer. The story adapts Frank Herbert's "Dune: Messiah," focusing on Paul's role in the massive galactic conflict between the Fremen and various political factions vying for control of the universe's most valuable resource. The highly anticipated sequel arrives in theaters December 18, 2026.