Once again proving himself to be one of the hottest actors working in Hollywood today, rumours have emerged that Robert Pattinson has been circling the role of the main villain in the upcoming Dune: Messiah.

Though THR reports no offer has been made to Pattinson, his streak working with such high-profile directors as Christopher Nolan (including his upcoming epic The Odyssey) and Mickey 17 filmmaker Bong Joon-ho likely makes Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune film an attractive project for Pattinson.

Published in 1969, Frank Herbert’s Messiah picks up 12 years after the events of Dune, with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) ruling as Emperor, and married to Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), while maintaining a relationship with his concubine, Chani (Zendaya). If Villeneuve’s third film in the franchise follows the books, the main villain will likely be Scytale, a Tleilaxu Face Dancer (a shapeshifter) who executes a plot to dethrone Paul Atreides.

The current synopsis for Messiah, though brief, states the film “follows Muad’dib, heir to unimaginable power, as he brings to fruition the ancient scheme to create a superbeing ruler among men, not in the heavens.”

Dune: Messiah is expected to begin filming this summer ahead of a December 18th, 2026 release date. Villeneuve has stated this will be his final Dune film before turning his attention to other projects.