Original Dune star Kyle MacLachlan addresses whether he’d be interested in appearing in Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune: Messiah adaptation.

Dune Pauls

Actor Kyle MacLachlan, who portrayed Paul Atreides in David Lynch’s Dune adaptation, is currently wowing audiences with his role in Prime Video’s Fallout. With the actor no stranger to genre work, some fans have wondered if MacLachlan would consider returning to the Dune franchise for a role in Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy capper, Dune: Messiah.

In an interview with MovieWeb to promote Fallout, MacLachlan ruled out a return to the science fiction franchise created by author Frank Herbert, stating, “I’ve done my Dune work, but I am excited to see what comes.” The actor also reaffirmed that he hasn’t seen Dune: Part Two yet while doubling down on his “love” for Herbert’s original 1965 novel. “I’ve loved it since I was a little kid. Anytime I can go see something that has anything Dune-related, I will be happy. And I think they did a marvelous job,” MacLachlan added. “So, I look forward to seeing it.”

The main cast of Dune: Part Two with Arrakis in the background.

Paul Atredies hooded in the desert in Dune- Part Two Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin) looking wounded and desheveled against an orange sky in Dune: Part Two. Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen embraces Baron Harkonnen in Dune Part Two. Javier Bardem as Stilgar looking to the side in Dune Part Two Feyd-Rautha and Paul Atreides fight in Dune: Part Two.

Dune: Part Two Is a Box Office Hit

Released on March 1, Dune: Part Two has been a massive critical and commercial success for Warner Bros. and Legendary. The sequel has already grossed over $665 million worldwide, vastly exceeding the final box office haul of 2021’s Dune by more than $200 million. Not only does Part Two have a 93 percent critical rating and 95 percent audience score on the review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, but the movie has received praise from some of Hollywood’s most notable names, including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, and Guillermo del Toro.

Although an official announcement has not yet been made, Legendary has reportedly begun working with Villeneuve to develop a third Dune movie, which will complete Paul Atreides’ story. If greenlit, the movie will be an adaptation of Herbert’s second novel in his science fiction series, Dune: Messiah. However, despite development on Messiah already beginning, the sequel could still be years away, as Villeneuve previously mentioned that he will not begin production until they have a “strong screenplay.” He explained, “The thing I want to avoid is not having something ready. I never did it, and now I feel it could be dangerous because of the enthusiasm. We need to make sure all the ideas are on paper.”

Dune fans can currently watch MacLachlan in the post-apocalyptic drama series Fallout on Prime Video. Years after the United States is devastated by a fiery nuclear war, humanity takes shelter in massive bunkers underground. The actor portrays the charismatic Hank MacLean, the Overseer of Vault 33, which is situated in the ruins of Southern California. The series primarily follows his daughter, Lucy (Ella Purnell), who embarks on a risky journey to find her father after he unexpectedly leaves Vault 33.

Dune: Part Two is currently playing in theaters, while Fallout is streaming on Prime Video.