Jason Momoa compares his Dune character to Han Solo

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

I have never read the DUNE novel written by Frank Herbert, and I'm not very familiar with the previous adaptations (a 1984 film directed by David Lynch and a 2000 mini-series directed by John Harrison). I watched them, but remember very little about them. So all I really know about the character Duncan Idaho is that he's described as a swordmaster, and he has been played by Richard Jordan (in Lynch's film), James Watson (in the mini-series), and – in the upcoming film directed by Denis Villeneueve – Jason Momoa. But the way Momoa describes this guy makes me look forward to seeing him in action in Villeneueve's film.

While being interviewed by Ellen DeGeneres, Momoa said, 

I get to play this character Duncan Idaho, who's kind of a master swordsman who's made the right-hand man to Duke Leto, who is Oscar Isaac's [character]. He's the first person to be sent out to land on Dune, and that's when I meet the character that Javier Bardem plays. I can't believe I had a scene with Javier Bardem! It's him and Timothée Chalamet, Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson and Stellan Skarsgård. It's a pretty massive film and I get to be this little… he's kind of the Han Solo-esque of the group. He's kind of the rogue warrior who protects Timothée Chalamet and he serves Oscar Isaac."

Momoa wielding swords as a Han Solo type of character named Duncan Idaho sounds like fun to me. 

Timothée Chalamet's character in DUNE is Paul Atreides, 

a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence – a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential – only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Momoa and Chalamet's co-stars include Oscar Issac as Paul's father Duke Leto Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Paul's mother Lady Jessica, Javier Bardem as helpful tribe leader Stilgar, Josh Brolin as troubadour-swordsman Gurney Halleck, Stellan Skarsgård as the villainous Baron Harkonnen, Dave Bautista as Harkonnen's brutish nephew Glossu Rabban, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as ecologist Doctor Liet Kynes, Charlotte Rampling as the emperor's truthsayer Reverend Mother Mohiam, David Dastmalchian as the twisted Piter De Vries, Chang Chen as Atreides family physician Dr. Yueh, and Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, Master of Assassins for House Atreides.

Villeneuve directed the film from a screenplay he wrote with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts, and produced it with Mary Parent and Cale Boyter. Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Thomas Tull, and Kim Herbert served as executive producers. Kevin J. Anderson was the creative consultant. 

DUNE is scheduled to reach theatres on December 18th.