Dune: Part Three is months away from its release on the 2026 movie schedule, and the hype for Denis Villeneuve's threequel is getting very real. Something that has fans particularly excited is the return of Jason Momoa, who played Duncan Idaho in the first movie. Momoa has since shared some thoughts on returning to the franchise, and he even spoke about what it was like filming in the desert. He dropped a nuanced take, and I wasn’t expecting him to mention Disneyland while describing the experience.
Villeneuve shot the Dune franchise in some seriously sandy locations, with places like Budapest and the United Arab Emirates serving as key filming locations. The result is a trilogy of films that firmly brings the planet of Arrakis to life. However, it’s still hard not to wonder what it’s like for the actors to be filming in a sprawling and dry desert landscape. Momoa seems to be unfazed by any of the challenges, though, as he shared a very upbeat take on being amongst the dunes of the UAE:
I’ve been coming here for the last 15-plus years. This place is Disneyland for big kids – but then you go out into the dunes and everything slows down. I don’t want to tell anybody where I go. That’s the best part about coming to different places.
One might be able to call the Supergirl star a true desert dweller, given he’s apparently been visiting the area for over a decade now. The country is obviously far different from the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but I can understand where Momoa is coming from. What he seems to appreciate are the sights and sounds of the UAE, which does have an active night life fit for adults. And, at the same time, he can admire the beauty of his sand-covered surroundings. Momoa further emphasized that while speaking with The National:
It’s amazing. I was out here for a while. I think Dune is pretty high up there in my creative career. You get to be in the desert, and it’s pretty special out there. It’s a big honour. We were getting up very early and very late. You get to see stuff most people don’t. That’s one of the fun things about being in a movie like this. You get to go do some wild stuff in places you probably wouldn’t otherwise.
Part of me is sweating just thinking about how hot it could possibly get out in that desert but, on the other hand, I can understand how cool that experience would be. I mean, imagine filming a massive movie alongside a talented director like Denis Villeneuve and top-notch actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Javier Bardem. Even franchise newcomer Robert Pattinson found that a silver lining to being in such sweltering heat was that he was very agreeable on set. As for Momoa, he also named one sweet result of being there:
I got some good shots – my phone is pretty full. It’s stunning what it’s like out there at dusk and dawn.
The A-lister did more than sightseeing, though, as he also put in plenty of work, which is evidenced by Dune: Part Three’s trailer. Following his demise in the first film, Idaho returns in the form of a ghola named Hayt. Momoa is psyched to be back in the fold, though he’s also admitted to having been nervous about working with his son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, who plays Leto II Atreides. All in all, though, what Momoa describes is a memorable experience comparable to the thrill of riding Space Mountain at Disneyland.
Dune: Part Three opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. Ahead of its release, stream the first two movies – as well as the prequel TV series, Dune: Prophecy – with an HBO Max subscription.
