Sadly, Dune: Part Three doesn’t have much for Gurney Halleck to do, but at least it’s faithful to the books in that way. Actor Josh Brolin just sat down for a lengthy interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast on Thursday, and he confirmed that he knows exactly what’s going on on Arrakis. The movie is filming now, and in some ways, it’s a good thing Brolin isn’t needed on set, as he is currently promoting the new horror movie Weapons. However, Brolin has read the script, as well as the book it’s based on, Dune Messiah, which is apparently more than some of his co-stars can say. Dune: Part Three is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.
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Asked if he had read the script for Dune: Part Three yet, Brolin replied, “I have. It’s very good. It is — it’s super good.” He confirmed that he has also read the book, Dune Messiah, which is the second installment of Frank Herbert’s Dune Chronicles series. The first novel was split across the two previous movies, where Brolin played the Warmaster for House Atreides, Gurney Halleck. It sounds like he is still whipping his co-stars into shape as he joked about getting texts from them.
“I’m not there right now,” Brolin pointed out. “I’ve gotten texts by people who are in it, who apparently haven’t read the script, or only read their parts, which I don’t understand. That’s why I reached out to Denis. I was like, ‘Why are all these people like, “Hey, are you here yet?”‘ Have you read? Like, ‘Are we going to go to the bathhouse in Budapest?’ I’m like, ‘Dude, read the script. Like, do you job!’”
Gurney Halleck is a mentor to Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and one of the only members of his household to survive the fighting on Arrakis and see Paul rise to power in the end. Gurney stood among Paul’s closest allies at the end of Dune: Part Two, presumably destined to wield power and influence in his new empire. Without spoiling anything, Gurney does have a part to play in the upcoming story, but he doesn’t need as much screentime as he’s had before. On top of that, the narrative shifts here to put some other characters front-and-center, so it makes sense that Brolin isn’t needed on set quite as much as others.
Just because he’s not there doesn’t mean Brolin is ignorant about the production. Asked if this was a “worthy conclusion” to Villeneuve’s work on Dune, he responded, “Oh, in a big way. I just talked to one of the heads of Warner Bros., and they’re very excited, in a visceral way. I said something like, ‘I heard dailies are really good,’ and he goes, ‘How do you know?’ I was like, ‘Because I know.’”
Those interested in reading ahead can find all of Herbert’s Dune novels in print, digital and audiobook formats. Villeneuve’s movies are streaming now on HBO Max, and Dune: Part Three hits theaters on December 18, 2026.
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