Timothée Chalamet ‘Spoils’ Dead ‘Dune’ Character’s Return

Timothée Chalamet technically dropped a Dune spoiler in a new interview promoting the movie. Chalamet spoke to MTV’s Josh Horowitz about Wonka, but they set some time aside to discuss Dune: Part Two as well. Chalamet mentioned a spoiler for Dune: Part Three – assuming it actually gets made.

Horowitz set up his Dune question by mentioning the ensemble cast, saying: “We’re trading out some amazing actors, we’re going to miss Momoa, but…” There, Chalamet cut him off, saying: “Well, Momoa will be back.” When Horowitz looked confused, Chalamet went on: “Well, not in this one in the sequel, if you’ve read the books. No spoilers.” Laughing, Horowitz admitted he had not read the second book in the Dune Saga, and said that they had probably just spoiled something big.

“I mean, it’s so weird because they’re so secretive about the script, and about the trailer, and everything,” Chalamet said, “but [the books] have been out there for 70 years!” Of course, no adaptation is strictly faithful to its source material, so the fact that Momoa’s character Duncan Idaho is “coming back” in some form is a spoiler, in a way. It’s obviously also a big reveal for fans who haven’t read the books.

Denis Villeneuve’s 2021 film Dune adapted the first half of the 1965 novel by the same name, written by Frank Herbert. The sequel coming on March 1 will adapt the rest of that book, but Herbert wrote a total of six novels in his Dune Saga. Villeneuve has said that he hopes to make a film trilogy adapting the first two books into three films.

The second book, Dune Messiah, picks up 12 years after the events of the first. Spoiler warning for that book, but for those interested – in the second book Paul (Chalamet) has successfully conquered the galaxy and become its new emperor, though he still faces opposition from the Bene Gesserit sisterhood, the Spacing Guild and an advanced civilization known as the Tleilaxu. The Tleilaxu specialize in genetic engineering, and they have managed to create a clone – or, “ghola” – of Paul’s old friend Duncan Idaho, who died at the end of Villeneuve’s first movie.

Warner Bros. has not officially announced Dune: Part Three, but widely-reported rumors from within the studio say that it is more or less certain. However, Villeneuve has said that he might take a break between Part Two and Part Three, which would not only give the project some space to breath, but allow for the time-skip in the story to feel more natural.

That’s getting way ahead of ourselves, of course. For now, fans can look forward to Dune: Part Two on March 1, only in theaters. Dune: Part One is streaming on on Max and Netflix. Herbert’s books are available in print, digital and audiobook formats.