On the cinematic scale of sandstorms and space politics, Dune remains Hollywood’s most gloriously dehydrated franchise. A place where water is sacred, power is inherited, and characters come back from the dead more often than Taylor Swift changes eras. Now, as Dune: Part Three prepares to rise from the spice fields, Jason Momoa is shedding more than just expectations. And no, this is not about sandworms. Not yet.

While Arrakis burns with rebellion and rebirth, Momoa battles a far more personal desert, his jawline. Because sometimes, the biggest transformation is not in the plot, but in the mirror.

When the role calls louder than your reflection, even a six-year beard must fall, and Jason Momoa let his fall in high definition. The actor posted a now-viral Instagram video of himself shaving for Dune: Part Three, referencing director Denis Villeneuve with a dramatic “Only for you, Denis.” What followed was a razor, a mutter, and a guttural “Goddamnit! I hate it.” It was cinematic heartbreak, disguised as a grooming tutorial.

Duncan Idaho: the human sword, the warrior mentor, the original plot armor. Last seen dying for Paul and Jessica in Dune, he now prepares for a comeback, possibly clone-style, if Herbert’s books are any spoiler. Jason Momoa returning to play the man who keeps dying, then un-dying, feels like the franchise is finally embracing its Marvel phase. Only dustier. Denis Villeneuve has not confirmed the resurrection plan yet, but the beard is gone, and that says enough.

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As Duncan gears up for another round in the spice wars, a new generation arrives on set, complete with family drama, nepotism disclaimers, and teenage pressure from all sides.

In a casting twist worthy of a galactic prophecy, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa is now part of Dune: Part Three, playing Leto II, son of Paul and Chani. But before anyone starts shouting nepo baby, Jason Momoa insists his son did it all on his own. “I don't want to help him,” he told Extra. A bold claim in Hollywood, where family ties often outrank plot logic. At 16, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa is facing Denis Villeneuve, not just puberty. Brave.

Jason Momoa, once on Baywatch, now watches his son dive into prestige cinema with sand in every scene. “You want your children to be better than you,” he said, before admitting Nakoa-Wolf Momoa already is. While Dad shaved his beard for Denis, the son is holding his own in casting rooms without backup. Dune may be about legacies, but off-screen too, the torch seems passed, beard or no beard, worm or no worm.

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What are your thoughts on Jason Momoa’s beardless return to the spice-filled ? Let us know in the comments below.