Robert Pattinson's Scytale Will Be Dune's Greatest Villain Yet

Denis Villeneuve returns as the director of the Dune movie trilogy capper, this time adapting Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah. Leading the new cast additions is the acclaimed British actor, Robert Pattinson, who joins the ensemble as an enigmatic villain, Scytale. Pattinson’s Scytale is the main villain in Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune movie. The actor previously collaborated with Timothée Chalamet on The King, where he played the villain, and also stars opposite Zendaya in the new movie, The Drama.

By the end of Dune: Part Two, Paul kills the Baron and defeats his psychopathic nephew, Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), in a knife duel. The Emperor surrenders, and Paul declares his intention to marry Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), cementing his claim to the imperial throne. At this point in the tale, Paul is Muad’Dib, the leader of the Fremen and the controller of the Imperium. With Paul deeply entrenched in power, Dune: Part Three will see the rise of new forces and political factions challenging his might, even as he struggles with his own god-like status, amid the bloody holy war (Jihad) he is waging.

Scytale Will Test Paul 17 Years After Dune: Part Two

On March 17, the trailer for Dune: Part Three dropped, and among many highlights, Pattinson’s portrayal of Scytale stood out. Scytale is a Face Dancer from the nefarious Bene Tleilax society, meaning he can manipulate both his physical form and his personality. In the trailer, Pattinson sports a blond buzz-cut and bleached eyebrows, exuding a megalomaniacal presence. Devoid of an ounce of humanity, he can also be seen in the stillsuit, walking through Fremen, wearing a filt plug. He will plot against Paul while taking on many identities.

As for Dune: Part Three, it is set 17 years after the events of the second outing, so quite obviously, there is a significant time jump. Director and co-writer, Villeneuve explained during the panel conversation, before the trailer screening (via Deadline):

There’s a time gap, 17 years, where we see Paul dealing with the consequences of having too much power and him trying to figure out how to get out of this cycle of violence. And of course he’s an emperor who can see the future, so he’s kind of invincible.

The Face Dancers are trained in the advanced Prana-bindu systems, akin to what Lady Jessica imparts to Paul. Their heightened understanding of various psyches allows them to replicate personalities with ease, making them useful tools in espionage and assassination. Sterile and metamorphic, the Face Dancers are interchangeably referred to as “Face Changers” on account of their remarkable transhuman ability. From their description alone, it becomes amply clear why their race is considered as one of the most unsettling forces in the Dune Universe, and why Pattinson’s Scytale stands out as the most formidable antagonist seen in the Dune movies. A weapon of the Bene Tleilax, Scytale operates through subversion, testing Paul in ways never before seen on the screen.

In the same panel discussion, Pattinson reflected on his character, noting that he is "...an unusual character in the book and when you can’t really tell who side he’s on, that’s what makes it quite interesting,” he said. “I wouldn’t say he was a kind of conventional bad guy as such. I don’t think he is. He might even be a good guy. Who knows? I will also find out when I see the movie. It’s an extremely fun character to play and the look for it is quite Incredible. Extraordinary."

With Scytale’s deadly presence and Duncan Idaho’s reanimation as a ghola, Hayt, conditioned by Bene Tleilax to assassinate Paul, Dune: Part Three sets itself up as a promising psychological thriller, with the lead finding himself in the cross hairs of betrayal, manipulation, and subterfuge. Per Villeneuve’s own description, the movie follows a different pace from the previous two installments. It has a distinct tone and more action. It still features factions plotting to overthrow Paul, but the core of the story remains Paul and Chani’s romance.

Dune: Part Three's Cast is Absolutely Stacked

The third and final outing will mark the return of Chalamet as the lead, Paul Atreides, reunited with his love interest and Fremen warrior, Chani, played by Zendaya. Rebecca Ferguson reprises her role as Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica, and Pugh as Irulan. Charlotte Rampling will be back as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, while Javier Bardem returns as Stilgar.

All of these cast returns are joined by Jason Momoa’s reincarnated Duncan Idaho, who served House Atreides in Dune: Part One. This time, he returns as Hayt. Besides Pattinson’s addition, Anya Taylor-Joy’s role as Paul’s younger sister, Alia Atreides, has broadened. The movie has also cast Ivorian actor Isaach De Bankolé as Farok and newcomers Nakoa-Wolf Momoa and Ida Brooke to play Paul and Chani's children, Leto and Ghanima, respectively.

Dune: Part One was released in 2021, and Part Two in 2024. Warner Bros. and Legendary release Dune: Part 3 on December 18.