Dune 3 is currently in development, and it has some important decisions to make. The movie comes after both of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies were well-received, garnering Academy Award nominations and critical acclaim. The second installment was also a huge box office success, making over $714.6 million at the worldwide box office. The Dune 3 release date has yet to be confirmed, but Warner Bros. has scheduled Villeneuve’s next movie for December 18, 2026, which is widely believed to continue Paul Atreides’ story.
The third installment of Villeneuve’s Dune franchise will be the director’s final, and though it is not yet titled as such, it is expected to be an adaptation of Dune: Messiah. This is the second book in Frank Hebert’s acclaimed science-fiction series and was published in 1969. Though it wraps up Paul’s epic arc, the book is largely considered to be one of the weaker entries in the novel series. With his adaptation, however, Villeneuve has the opportunity to change something critical in his film version.
Rebecca Ferguson’s Lady Jessica Is One Dune’s Most Fascinating Characters In The First Two Movies
Ferguson’s Performance Only Makes This Better
Part of the challenge of adapting any of the Dune books is their complexity. There are a lot of characters in the books, and with a movie adaptation, this means that the storyline can take many paths. Within the intertwining narratives of the various Dune families, one of the most interesting characters is Jessica. Played by Rebecca Ferguson, she is the mother of Paul Atreides, and the mistress of the late Duke Leto Atreides, who dies in the first movie. Even from early on, Jessica is established as a strong female character who leaves a profound impact on Paul.
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While her son is off becoming the Lisan Al-Gaib in Dune: Part Two, Jessica is dealt her own fascinating arc in the second movie. Her version of ingratiating herself with the Fremen is to connect herself with a group of women called the Bene Gesserit. This group of women has achieved some superhuman powers and encourages Jessica to drink the Water of Life, which grants her additional ancestral knowledge and power. She ultimately becomes Reverend Mother, a powerful figure in the Bene Gesserit order.
The well-seasoned actor really brings her all to her role in the Dune films, able to sell both mysterious fantasy elements with the Bene Gesserit and some of the movie’s more stirring drama.
This arc is one of the more fascinating elements of the first two Dune movies and one of the only narratives that focuses solely on women. Chani is clearly a major character in the series, but her arc is only actualized in reference to Paul. Jessica’s role is also made better by Ferguson’s performance. The well-seasoned actor really brings her all to her role in the Dune films, able to sell both mysterious fantasy elements with the Bene Gesserit and some of the movie’s more stirring drama. Whenever she is on-screen, no one can look away.
Jessica Won’t Be In Dune 3 Based On Frank Herbert’s Book
Jessica Is Away For Dune: Messiah
Despite how prominent Jessica is in the first two movies, she may not appear in Dune 3 if Villeneuve strictly and faithfully adapts the book. Despite playing a key role in Herbert’s first novel, the author did not include Jessica in Dune: Messiah. Her absence is explained by noting that Jessica has returned to her ancestral land of Caladan. She is considered Paul’s counselor from afar, but she cannot influence him directly. This separates Jessica from the rest of the story and allows the book to focus more on Paul’s journey itself.
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That said, the first Dune book is not the end of Jessica’s narrative. After her time spent in Caladan, away from the rest of the characters, she returns for Children of Dune, the third book in the Dune series. In that novel, she comes to look over Paul’s children, Leto II and Ghanima, and see whether they can be taken in by the Sisterhood. It also further explores her fraught relationship with her daughter, Alia, with whom she is pregnant in the second movie.
Dune 3 is expected to pick up where Dune: Messiah goes, 12 years after the events of the second movie. This makes it unlikely that the film would include this section of Jessica’s arc since Paul’s kids would still be pretty young during the events of this third film. That said, the character’s inclusion in Children of Dune shows that her story is not over.
Dune 3 Could Easily Change The Story To Bring Rebecca Ferguson’s Jessica Back
Her Connection With Alia Could Be Explored More
Even though Jessica is not included in Dune: Messiah, the movie adaptation could find ways to bring her into the story. Despite the 12-year time gap, it seems likely that the next film might address the birth of Alia. Alia is Paul’s sister, who is advising Jessica from the womb after the Reverend Mother-to-be drinks the Water of Life. The older version of her is played by Anya Taylor-Joy, who appears in brief snippets in Dune: Part Two. Jessica’s pregnancy is vitally important to the understanding of both characters, but she does not actually give birth in the second film.
As such, Dune 3 might want to at minimum show this birth sequence to bridge the gap between the storylines. The first Dune book showed more time passing than Dune: Part Two, and Alia was four years old by the time the book ended. Thus, the third movie might at least include some kind of prologue that covers this time period, before skipping ahead. This prologue would necessitate an appearance from Jessica, who gives birth in the first book.
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Even if they did not include Alia’s birth story, the character could still work her way into the story at hand. Dune: Part Two‘s ending sets up the dramatic revelation that Paul will agree to marry Princess Irulan, despite being in love with Chani. Jessica has seen Paul verbally commit to loving Chani forever and canonically supports their relationship. As such, Jessica would provide an interesting perspective on the political marriage between Irulan and Paul, which could provide fascinating dynamics in Dune 3.
Rebecca Ferguson Wants To Be In Dune 3, So The Book Change Really Needs To Happen
And Her Enthusiasm Could Improve Her Performance
Ferguson has not officially signed on to Dune 3 yet, leaving her character’s fate up in the air. In an interview last May, Ferguson was not sure whether she was in Dune 3. The actor did say, however, that she “hope[s] [she’s] in it.” She went on to describe Jessica, saying “I’ve got chains and tattoos, I’m awesome.” This reveals not only that Ferguson wants to return, but that she believes that Jessica would be a good character to include in the next film.
Ferguson’s enthusiasm is another good reason to include her in Dune 3. She has already delivered great performances in the first two movies, and her passion for the character would likely only deepen her on-screen portrayal. It is not unlike Villeneuve to take some creative liberties with his Dune movies, so it is well within his wheelhouse to find a way to include one of the films’ strongest characters.
Dune
5/10
- Release Date
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October 22, 2021
- Runtime
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155 minutes
