Part Three Reveals First Look At Paul Atreides & Chani’s Children

Who doesn’t love a heartwarming hero’s journey about a chosen one figure who defeats the bad guys, gets the girl, ascends to greatness, and lives happily ever after as the oppressive conqueror of worlds known as the First Padishah Emperor of the new Empire of House Atreides? Okay, so the story told in Frank Herbert’s “Dune” (and subsequent novels) isn’t exactly a conventional one, and neither are the epic adaptations directed by Denis Villeneuve. “Dune: Part Three” has gone out of its way to make that crystal clear throughout its marketing campaign, as the trilogy-capping adventure depicts our erstwhile hero Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) corrupted by the very power he sought to overthrow. Now, generations of innocents and a thousand worlds are doomed to pay the price.

Some of those innocents hit a little closer to home than others, however. In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment from the newly-released “Dune: Part Three” final trailer, the footage reveals our very first look at Paul’s own children with Chani (Zendaya) and works as a callback of sorts. Remember that very first “Dune: Part Three” teaser, which depicted our happy couple on Arrakis deciding on what to name their yet-to-be-born son or daughter? The two settle on Ghanima and Leto, names meant to represent the strength of Chani and the wisdom of Paul’s father Duke Leto (Oscar Isaac). Well, we’ve now met them in the flesh with a surprise reveal ahead of the threequel’s release, and the circumstances are, uh, rather less than ideal.

At this point, it’s hard to imagine there’s a peaceful ending in store for House Atreides, but several questions remain unanswered. What role will Leto II and Ghanima play in the story to come? Can Paul possibly be redeemed? Will Villeneuve ever get some sleep? Let’s speculate recklessly below!

I, for one, can’t wait for the upcoming divorce drama and prolonged custody battle over how often Paul Atreides gets to visit the kids on weekends in Arrakis throughout “Dune: Part Three.” Okay, so this may not quite resemble something like Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” or the Will Arnett/Laura Dern-starring dramedy “Is This Thing On?,” but it’s fun to imagine anyway. One thing’s certain, at the very least: Paul and Chani are destined for a confrontation at some point in the upcoming blockbuster, and we can expect it to get awfully messy.

So, where do poor Leto II and Ghanima (played by Nakota-Wolf Momoa — yes, returning star Jason Momoa’s son — and Ida Brooke, respectively) factor into this saga? Those who’ve done their homework and read ahead know how large Leto II looms in the lore, in particular. For the purposes of “Part Three,” though, we can safely avoid spoilers by noting that both children are destined to play a massive role in the events to come. And, as with anyone connected to House Atreides (such as Anya Taylor-Joy’s absolute weirdo Alia), both Ghanima and Leto are different from most kids their age — or simply most kids at all. I suppose one can’t have a Bene Gesserit-bio-engineered father and a mother hooked on spice melange without expecting to inherit some serious personality quirks along the way.

Considering how central Paul and Chani’s estrangement appears to be (the trailer reveals that Paul knows his lover is behind an assassination attempt on his life), it’s safe to say their twin kids will be caught in the crossfire of all this unpleasantness. We’ll find out when “Dune: Part Three” worms its way into theaters on December 18, 2026.