Robert Pattinson Might Head to Arrakis for Dune 3

The sandworms of Arrakis might have found a new plaything. Robert Pattinson, fresh off his turn in Bong Joon Ho’s cloning film Mickey 17, may be joining the cast of the final entry in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune trilogy.

Deadline reports that Pattinson is a high priority for Legendary to join the cast of the film, although no formal offer for any role, undisclosed or otherwise, has been made yet. Villeneuve’s script for the film, an adaptation of the events of Dune Messiah,  is still being finalized, but should Pattinson take on a role, it’s set to be one of the few major additions to the Dune series’ already expansive casts.

Dune 3 was originally meant to be much further away in Villeneuve’s plans after the release of Dune: Part Two last year, but the director changed tack and decided to dive into making the sequel his next major project last year. “I was really moved by the way Part Two was received by cinephiles around the world, and I felt an appetite and a desire to see more and a responsibility to finish that story,” Villeneuve said in an interview with Collider last February, explaining the reasoning behind why Messiah would now be coming sooner rather than later.

While that’s good for Dune fans, if Pattinson does board the film, it may be less good news for DC fans anxiously awaiting any update on The Batman Part 2. Dune 3 is expected to begin filming this summer, after Pattinson has wrapped his current filming on Chris Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey.

Forward momentum on The Batman Part 2 has stalled since it was announced shortly after Pattinson’s debut as Bruce Wayne in 2022’s The Batman. It’s since been delayed multiple times, with it currently holding an estimated October 1, 2027 release. That gives Pattinson plenty of time for some interstellar travel before he’s due back in Gotham, but that’s probably no small comfort to Batman fans hoping their movie stays on track.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.