Dune: Part Three is one of the biggest releases on the 2026 movie schedule, and the third installment in Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy remains highly anticipated for various reasons. One of the most exciting aspects of the film is that it’ll mark the return of Jason Momoa, who’s reprising his role as Duncan Idaho. Momoa’s experience on set was a tad different this time around, as he was joined by his son, Nakoa-Wolf, who’s been cast in a key role. Now, Jason is sharing the understandable reason why working with his kid was so nerve-wracking.
In the third installment in this Dune series, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa is playing the role of Leto II Atreides, the son of Paul Atreides and Chani. Jason is proud of his son for having been cast and has emphasized how he landed the part on his own. The older Momoa recently appeared on Today (as shared to YouTube), during which he was asked about working with his son on the upcoming blockbuster. It seems the usually jovial Aquaman star felt a bit on edge due to his son’s presence while filming the science-fiction flick:
Absolutely terrifying. Yeah, terrifying… because it’s my baby. I didn’t want him to get into acting, and then he did it on his own. And he really killed it, and he’s really good.
The implication here seems to be that Momoa was concerned about the well-being of his kid as well as how he’d perform. Parents tend to show concern for their kids under normal circumstances, and I can only imagine what it was like for Momoa to ensure that “his baby” was all good while filming his first feature film. Of course, as the Minecraft Movie alum stated, Nakoa-Wolf “killed it,” and this wouldn’t be the first time he’s praised his son’s work and discussed his reservations about his decision to act.
Last summer, Jason Momoa revealed he really didn’t want his kid to act and consistently told him that he was “not going to be in this industry.” Jason later expanded upon how Nakoa-Wolf earned his role, explaining that it all began when the teen asked his dad if he could learn about acting by watching him on the Dune 3 set. “Wolf,” who’d acted before and was already a skilled martial artist, convinced his dad to help him put together an audition tape for a small role in the movie. Jason’s producer friend later convinced him to let Wolf audition for Leto II, and he earned the part, making his dad proud.
I’m eager to see what Nakoa-Wolf Momoa does with the role and, of course, I’m also excited to see his dear old dad return as Idaho. Jason had long been teasing his return before confirming his involvement back in early 2025. By that summer, Momoa humorously and begrudgingly shaved his beard before heading to set, making the notion of his reprisal feel even more real.
Denis Villeneuve’s threequel wrapped filming back in 2025, and the cast and crew celebrated the accomplishment at the time. The film is set to adapt Frank Herbert’s 1969 novel, Dune: Messiah, and will close out Villeneuve’s series of films. I can’t think of a better movie for the Momoas to film together, and I hope that when it comes time for the pair to promote the project, the experience won’t be as "terrifying" for Jason.
Check out Dune: Part Three when it opens in theaters on December 18. In the meantime, use an HBO Max subscription to film the first two films as well as the spinoff prequel series, Dune: Prophecy.
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