Dune 3 star Rebecca Ferguson confirmed her involvement in the upcoming movie, marking a significant change from the original Dune books. Denis Villeneuve will return to the beloved sci-fi world of Frank Herbert's classic books for a third (and likely final) Dune film, set for release in December 2026. This new adventure will adapt the story of Herbert's Dune sequel, Dune: Messiah, which follows a galaxy in turmoil after the rise of Emperor Paul Atreides (portrayed by Timothée Chalamet).
Speaking as part of a recent interview, Rebecca Ferguson confirmed one significant change from the books coming to Dune 3. In the conversation with IndieWire, Ferguson confirmed that she will return for Dune: Part 3 as the wise and cunning Lady Jessica; however, her character is notably not a part of the Dune: Messiah story, the movie is based on.
"I don’t have a big part in this one," Ferguson posited, as "[she’s] just barely in the book." But it seems Villeneuve "had a little idea," so she was brought despite her character not appearing in the source material:
"I don’t have a big part in this one, [she’s] just barely in the book. I’m not sure I was supposed to be in it and Denis had a little idea. The script is phenomenal. It’s really hard to create a film, it’s such a dense book.
She added that the Dune director likes to "dip in and out" of the established canon, and ultimately believes what he decides is for the best (even if it may depart from the original 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 Lady Jessica has played a significant part in the first two Dune movies.
As the matriarch of House Atreides and a member of the clandestine political group the Bene Gesserit, Ferguson's character spent the last two movies meticulously manipulating the circumstances surrounding her son, Paul, leading him to be seen as a savior of the galaxy and eventually an emperor.
However, she is notably not a part of the Dune: Messiah book. By the time Messiah takes place, Lady Jessica has returned to the Atreides ancestral home of Caladan. She remains within Paul's close counsel, but does not actively appear in Herbete's original book.
Dune 3 is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026. The upcoming film from Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival director Denis Villeneuve will adapt the events of the Dune: Messiah novel by Frank Herbert, as the galaxy reckons with what to do with the now-emperor Paul Atreides.
Returning cast members include Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, and Jason Momoa as the thought-to-be-dead Duncan Idaho (read about how Jason Momoa's Dune character comes back from the dead in Dune: Part 3 here).
Why Is Denis Villeneuve Changing Dune 3?
It may come as a shock to some longtime Dune fans to hear that Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica will be a part of Dune: Part 3, but this is hardly the only change Denis Villeneuve has made in his adaptation of the beloved Frank Herbert series.
In fact, Dune: Part Two ended with a significant departure from the source material, as Zendaya's Chani was left on Arrakis following Paul's rise to emperor, a departure that did not occur in the book at all.
Other significant changes so far have included the removal of Chani and Paul's firstborn child from the movie version, Paul's younger sister, Alia, remaining unborn by the end of Dune: Part Two (which concluded the story of the first Dune book), and the massive time-jump being removed entirely.
So, bringing back a character in what seems to be a small role who should not be there in Dune 3 is not the biggest change Villeneuve has made by any means.
Seeing as Lady Jessica is described as a noted advisor to Emperor Paul in Dune: Messiah (even though she never appears), perhaps her small role will be seen in that capacity, continuing to pull the strings and further the interests of House Atreides from behind the scenes.
Another instance she may appear in has to do with the birth of Paul's younger sister, Alia (played by Anya Taylor-Joy).
Alia is key to the Messiah story, and seeing as she has not been born yet in the Dune movie canon, Jessica giving birth to one of the most essential characters in this particular story has to happen.
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