Jason Momoa, the unstoppable force behind some of Hollywood’s most iconic roles, has always been instantly recognizable by his signature wild hair and rugged beard. But for Dune: Part Three, the actor went all in and left his trademark look behind. The surprising transformation has left many jaws dropped, but behind the scenes, Momoa isn’t exactly thrilled with the change himself.
No, he didn’t lose his lush, iconic locks. That mane stayed perfectly intact. It was the beard that had to go. In a candid Instagram video shared on July 30, Momoa buzzed off his rugged scruff for the first time in six years. He did this to prepare for filming Dune: Part Three, where he will return as swordmaster Duncan Idaho. The last time he had to go barefaced was 2019, when he first took on the role in Dune.
In the Instagram video, Momoa humorously expresses his frustration with the new clean-shaven look, saying, “Goddammit, I hate it.” But despite his playful complaints, it’s clear he’s committed to the transformation for the sake of his character, embracing the change as part of stepping back into the world of Dune and bringing Duncan Idaho to life once again. He even mentions that the shave marks the “kickoff” to a new chapter and shouts out Dune director Denis Villeneuve with a cheeky, “Only for you.”
Fans of the Dune franchise should have seen this coming. Duncan Idaho was clean-shaven in the first film, so it only makes sense that Momoa would once again ditch the beard to stay true to the character. Don't worry! If you’re a fan of the classic scruffy beard look, Momoa’s signature scruff isn’t gone forever. It's just on pause for now. Let him finish up shooting Dune 3, and soon enough, we can expect his rugged beard to make a triumphant return.
The cast and crew began filming Dune 3 in July 2025. Villeneuve directs the epic space opera film from a script he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts. The third installment is based on the sci-fi novel Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert, and it serves as a sequel to Dune 2.
Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya reprise their roles from the first two films as Paul Atreides and Chani. Florence Pugh returns in her role as Princess Irulan from Dune 2. As mentioned earlier, Momoa returns as Duncan Idaho. Momoa's real-life son, Nakoa-Wolf, also joins the cast as Leto II Atreides. Last but not least is newcomer Ida Brooke, who plays the role of Ghanima Atreides.
Dune 3 is set to be released in theaters on Dec. 18, 2026. Don't forget to save the date!
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