‘Supergirl’ Star Jason Momoa Reveals the Surprising Reason He Returned for ‘Dune: Part Three’

Jason Momoa’s return as Duncan Idaho in ‘Dune: Part Three’ has been one of the most talked-about parts of Denis Villeneuve’s closing chapter. Duncan was last seen sacrificing himself to protect Paul in ‘Dune: Part One’, so seeing Momoa in the trailers caught plenty of fans off guard.

The new film is based on Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune Messiah’, and in that book, Duncan comes back from the dead, after a fashion. The character returns as Hayt, a ghola of Duncan Idaho, and his reappearance pulls him into the lives of the Atreides family once again.

Now Momoa has offered a lighthearted explanation for why he came back. In a clip shared by CoveredGeekly on X, the actor joked that the real reason he returned to Arrakis was Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays Paul’s sister Alia Atreides.

The remark fits the story the film is telling. Reports say Alia forms a close, illicit bond with Hayt, played by Jason Momoa, and that the relationship will be central to the film. The final trailer even offered a first glimpse of the pairing, which is among the most debated storylines in Herbert’s novels.

The screenshot from the clip shows Momoa in sunglasses next to a smiling, platinum-haired Taylor-Joy, and their easy rapport is clear. For fans who have waited years to see these characters share the screen, the joke landed well.

Jason Momoa on returning as Duncan in Dune Part 3 "I came for [Anya Taylor-Joy]" https://t.co/KLeWzAC1JX

— CoveredGeekly (@CoveredGeekly) November 9, 2026

Momoa has been honest about how strange the role was. Speaking to Empire, he described the experience as nerve-wracking, explaining that he had signed on to play Duncan and suddenly found himself playing someone else entirely. In a separate New York Times interview, he called Hayt the weirdest character he has ever had to navigate.

Hayt is a ghola of Duncan Idaho, revived after Duncan died in the first film. He has the combat skills but none of the memories. In the book, he is presented to Paul as a gift that is secretly meant to bring the Emperor down from within.

He’s got this. Get tickets now for Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. https://t.co/2uVNytAMgG #DuneMovie #FilmedForIMAX https://t.co/GYTbdHLY0j

— DUNE (@dunemovie) November 6, 2026

Costume designer Jacqueline West leaned into that idea. She told Vogue that Hayt is presented almost like a gift to Paul, and dressed him in luxurious-looking garments to match.

Taylor-Joy has also been opening up about her role. She described Alia as her most feral creation yet, saying it was a gift to play someone whose only real connection is to one person. She also revealed she didn’t realize Alia was a “bad guy” in the story until the end of the film.

@nytimes: ‘Dune’ Reunion: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Friends Can Take the Heat. As Denis Villeneuve’s blockbuster series concludes, the cast recalls dealing with desert shoots and wrestling with the story’s moral implications. Read more: https://t.co/LpeyCzKi0P #DuneMovie 📸: Charlie Gates

— DUNE (@dunemovie) November 5, 2026

The film makes some notable changes from the book. Alia has been aged up significantly for Dune 3 (she’s 16 in the novel, while Taylor-Joy is 30). Villeneuve had already strayed from the novels in Part Two, where Taylor-Joy’s Alia appeared to Paul in a vision rather than as a small child with an adult mind. Taylor-Joy’s role is also much bigger this time. After a brief appearance in Paul’s visions in Part Two, she is making her proper on-screen debut as Alia here.

The cast of ‘DUNE: PART THREE’ stuns in new video. https://t.co/J7WoDu4nNm

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) October 30, 2026

Momoa and Taylor-Joy are part of a huge ensemble. The film stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Isaach de Bankolé, Charlotte Rampling, Anya Taylor-Joy, Robert Pattinson, and Javier Bardem, with Pattinson playing the scheming Scytale.

The project has a family connection for Momoa as well. His real-life son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, plays Leto II Atreides, while Ida Brooke plays Ghanima, Paul and Chani’s twins. Fans won’t have to wait much longer. ‘Dune: Part Three’ arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026, the same day as ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.

The final trailer for ‘DUNE: PART 3’ has been released. In theaters on December 18. https://t.co/2n2wWqvDPt

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 27, 2026

Momoa’s comment may have been a playful one, but it shows the cast is having fun while promoting one of the season’s biggest films. Whether Hayt and Alia’s storyline wins audiences over will be one of the most interesting questions of Villeneuve’s finale.

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