Dune’s Duncan Idaho – played by Jason Momoa – died while defending Paul and Jessica from the Sardaukar – but his role in the book suggests that he might return in the Dune sequels, especially if there’s a third movie. Unlike other adaptations of Frank Herbert’s highly influential social science fiction masterpiece from 1965, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One adapts only the first half of the dense book, leaving the second half for the sequel, Dune: Part Two. Villeneuve has also announced plans (or at least hopes) of making a third movie, which will be based on Herbert’s second book, Dune: Messiah.
While the first Dune novel tackles the rise of Emperor Paul Atreides, also known as Muad’Dib, Dune: Messiah is set several years after these events. This means that many of the characters from Dune also appear in Dune: Messiah, the basis for Villeneuve’s potential third Dune movie. But if Duncan Idaho is dead, how can he possibly return for any sequels?
In Dune: Messiah, Duncan is reborn as Hayt, a ghola or clone that was created by the Bene Tleilax. The Bene Tleilax are an isolationist order of genetically enhanced humans, a major Dune faction that the reboot hasn’t yet explored. The Tleilaxu not only created Hayt, but also trained him as a Mentat and Zensunni philosopher, before giving him to Paul as a gift. The caveat is that Hayt is programmed to kill Paul. However, unlike any other ghola before him, Hayt is able to access Duncan’s memories and experiences agonizing trauma from being unable to reconcile his programming and his loyalty to the Atreides. Hayt eventually overcomes Tleilaxu programming and thwarts the assassination attempt on Paul. However, this turns out to be part of the Bene Tleilaxu’s bigger schemes, which involves demonstrating to Paul that they can create an exact replica of his dead wife Chani – but only if Paul abdicates the Imperial throne. If Villeneuve’s third movie is going to be based on Dune: Messiah, then this story arc could make it to the Dune sequels.
While it’s true that the Dune reboot can’t be an accurate adaptation, especially given the time and production constraints of filmmaking, Duncan’s rebirth as the ghola Hayt could translate well on the big screen. And if the source material itself provides a way for Momoa to return, Villeneuve and the studio are likely to jump at the chance to recast the actor as the ghola Hayt. It could also prove to be an interesting acting challenge for Momoa, as Hayt is much more complex than Duncan Idaho.
Dune 2021 makes a lot of changes to the book that left many hardcore Frank Herbert fans dissatisfied. However, if Villeneuve stays true to Duncan Idaho’s role in Dune: Messiah while adapting material for the third movie, should it happen, it could satisfy both casual viewers and long-time readers of the Dune books. For now, it remains to be seen whether or not Jason Momoa will return as Duncan’s ghola Hayt in Dune‘s future.
