Jason Momoa has the perfect reaction to his son Nakoa-Wolf Momoa joining him in the cast of Denis Villeneuve’s massively successful Dune franchise. Speaking with Extra while at the premiere of his new miniseries Chief of War, Momoa praised Nakoa-Wolf’s strong work ethic, making a point to mention that Nakoa-Wolf earned the role on his own. Momoa also shared that he’s very impressed his son was able to leave an impression on Villeneuve at such a young age, believing he’s on track to become a better actor than he is. The elder Momoa remarked there’s “no way” he could have pulled off an audition for Villeneuve when he was a teenaager.
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“He’s into the workforce for the first time. It’s going to be good,” Momoa said. “He did it on his own. I don’t want to help him, and he’s done it all on his own, and good for him … You want your children to be better than you, and I really, actually believe he is. I couldn’t do what he’s doing at his age. There’s no way I could sit in a room with Denis Villeneuve and hold my own. I was on Baywatch at 19. He’s 16 and holding s— down with Denis Villeneuve.”
In mid-June, Nakoa-Wolf was cast in Dune: Messiah (or Dune: Part Three) in the role of Leto II Atreides, the son of Paul Atreides and Chani. Ida Brooke will play Leto II’s twin sister Ghanima Atreides. These characters play a critical role in the larger Dune story. The casting of Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke suggests there could be a significant time jump in the film series, with Villeneuve choosing to portray Paul’s children well past infancy.
Earlier this month, Dune 3 officially started production. It will mark the conclusion of Villeneuve’s trilogy. The film does not officially have a release date yet, but it’s been widely assumed it will take the December 2026 date Warner Bros. has reserved for a Villeneuve-directed event film. That plan could change, however, as Marvel Studios recently delayed Avengers: Doomsday to that same December window.
Momoa rightfully sounds like a proud parent in his comments, amazed at what his son has achieved so early into his acting career. It’s great that Nakoa-Wolf won the role of Leto II Atreides on his own merits. Not only is it nice to see Momoa give his son room to carve out his own path, it means Nakoa-Wolf was cast because the filmmakers believed he was the best choice for the part. Villeneuve is obviously very passionate about the Dune source material and understands how important Paul’s children are to the overarching story. He wasn’t going to take this casting process lightly, and it’ll be exciting to see what Nakoa-Wolf brings to the franchise.
Jason Momoa may not have been able to hold his own with Villeneuve at 19, but as an adult, he more than held his own when he brough Duncan Idaho to life in 2021’s Dune. Momoa made the most of his screen time, effortlessly crafting a charming and charismatic character that quickly became a fan favorite. Though Duncan dies in Dune, Momoa will be back for the third film as the ghola Hayt, an artificially designed being who looks just like Duncan. Momoa has left his mark on the Dune franchise, and it won’t be easy for Nakoa-Wolf to follow that family legacy. But after earning such a key role, there’s a strong chance he will make a name for himself.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
