Princess Irulan may have been the ‘narrator’ of the Dune book by Frank Herbert, but her part (played by Florence Pugh) was pretty minor in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two.
With Dune: Messiah being officially greenlit by Warner Bros., it looks like the third film is going to see more of Irulan and another supporting role from the movie.
Talking to Vanity Fair (via @FilmUpdates), Villeneuve has confirmed that Princess Irulan and Alia Atreides (Anya Taylor-Joy) are going to be “prominent” roles in Dune: Messiah. No further details have been revealed about the parts, but Villeneuve does say about the status of the third film:
“First, it’s important that people understand that for me, [the first two movies were] really a diptych… It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That’s done and that’s finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it’s not like a trilogy. It’s strange to say that, but if I go back there, it’s to do something that feels different and has its own identity.”
For context, Part Two did end with the dark tease that an intergalactic Jihad was going to happen—just like in Paul’s vision—and the Fremen would be invading worlds and slaughtering others in Paul’s name. Though Paul had gained the power to avenge his family, the price would be the holy war where millions would be killed.
Though Irulan had been documenting Paul’s rise to power, Alia (at least, the grown up version) had only shown up in a dream sequence to Paul, saying:
“Now that you have seen out past, you can see out future. My brother, my dearest brother, you are not prepared for what is to come. You’ll now learn the truth about our family, and it will hurt you to the core. Paul, don’t worry. I’m with you. I love you.”
With Paul having lost himself by the end of the movie, it’s going to be interesting to see how Villeneuve treats the character and everyone around him moving forward. Until they make some reveals, we’re just going to have to wait and see.
As of now, Dune: Messiah is yet to receive a release date.
