Reports suggest that Robert Pattinson could play Scytale in Dune 3, making it hard not to wonder who the character is and how significant of a role he plays in the franchise. In recent years, Robert Pattinson has only been growing from strength to strength as an actor by landing roles in many mainstream and highly acclaimed projects. After establishing his acting prowess in movies like High Life, The Lighthouse, and The Lost City of Z, the actor went on to become even more of a household name with his brilliant portrayal of the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
He also received immense acclaim for playing multiple cloned versions of the same тιтular character in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17. With so many memorable roles under his belt, it is not surprising that Pattinson is now in talks to portray a character in Dune 3. While most story details surrounding the upcoming Denis Villeneuve movie are still under wraps, one can guess the importance and scale of Pattinson’s role in the film based on the story beats in the original Frank Herbert books.
Robert Pattinson Will Reportedly Play Scytale, A Villain, In Dune 3
Pattinson Is Reportedly In Talks To Play The Part
Although no official confirmation of Pattinson’s potential role in Dune: Part Three has been made yet, reports (via THR) suggest that the Batman star has been “circling” the role of Scytale in the third installment of the movie series. Scytale serves as one of the primary villains in the original Frank Herbert books, and Pattinson has been trying to get his hands on the part. However, Pattinson has not been offered the role yet since his call sheets only confirm that he will reprise his role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman sequel and make an appearance in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Given how Austin Butler did an incredible job portraying Dune: Part Two‘s villain, Feyd-Rautha, and received immense acclaim for capturing the character’s ruthlessness and menacing demeanor, the bar for future antagonists in the movie series has been set incredibly high. Owing to this, it would make sense if a talented actor like Robert Pattinson got the opportunity to play the next chief villain, Scytale, in Dune: Messiah. While only time will tell whether Pattinson will actually land the part, the mere prospect of him being a part of the Dune universe already seems exciting.
Warning! Spoilers below for Frank Herbert’s Dune books.
What Role Scytale Plays In Dune Messiah
Scytale Is A Vicious Villain In Dune Messiah
In the original books, Scytale was born as a Tleilaxu Face Dancer. Viewers who watched HBO’s Dune: Prophecy would know that Face Dancers were a race of shapeshifters engineered by the Bene Tleilax. As the story in the source material progresses, Scytale proves to be one of the most cunning and manipulative figures Paul-Muad’DIb Atreides crosses paths with.
To manipulate Paul into surrendering his Empire to the Tleilaxu, Scytale even makes him a grim but emotionally potent offer.
Scytale not only manages to infiltrate Paul’s inner circle by spinning a web of lies and deception to gain his trust but also becomes a primary driver of the larger conspiracy that involves dethroning the Timothée Chalamet character. To manipulate Paul into surrendering his Empire to the Tleilaxu, Scytale even makes him a grim but emotionally potent offer. When Paul sees through his cruel manipulations and declines his offer, Scytale goes as far as threatening to harm his children.
Since Robert Pattinson has played many morally ambiguous characters and dark roles in the past, it is hard not to see how his casting would be perfect for the villain role in Dune: Messiah. Considering how the franchise’s roster already brims with many renowned stars, with others like Anya Taylor-Joy set to become leading figures in future installments, Pattinson’s casting as Scytale would only further elevate Dune 3‘s impressive ensemble.
