'Dune' star confirms major character's return in third installment of hit scI-fi saga
Rebecca Ferguson will return as Lady Jessica in 'Dune: Part Three'. The 'Mission Impossible' star confirmed the news herself when talking about her upcoming movie, 'A House of Dynamite'. What's interesting will be her screentime as the third installment looks to be more compact, with the focus on key characters. 'Dune: Part Three' is expected to be released in 2026.
Speaking to IndieWire, Ferguson also added that she had finished filming her role, and that she wouldn't "have a big part in this one." According to the source material, Dune Messiah, Lady Jessica plays a relatively minor role. With the new film based on the same, it will be interesting to see how she fits into the script. "I'm not sure I was supposed to be in it, and Denis had a little idea," she said.
In the same interview, Ferguson was also all praise for the story. "The script is phenomenal. It’s really hard to create a film; it’s such a dense book. 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 is the mother of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and a member of the powerful Bene Gesserit sisterhood. In the first movie, she was shown to be a loyal force for her son, and she wages war against the Bene Gesserit to help him gain power on Arrakis. In the sequel, she was revealed to be pregnant with Paul's sister, Alia Atreides.
The upcoming movie also stars a slew of marquee names. Zendaya returns and brings with her major names in Anya Taylor-Joy, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Robert Pattinson, Lea Seydoux, and Florence Pugh. The storyline will focus on Atreides, now introduced to the world as Emperor Maud'Dib. With the rise of political adversaries and betrayal from within his camp looming, Paul will also look to protect his lover, Chani, and the couple's unborn child.
'Dune: Part Three' is expected to be a commerical success like its predecessors. The film is also one of the blockbuster releases in the 2026 calendar. Ferguson, meanwhile, enjoyed a strong start to 'A House of Dynamite,' which also stars Anthony Ramos, Idris Elba, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke in key roles. Critics praised the thriller's gripping plotline. The movie releases on October 10 on Netflix.
