Dune fans are counting down the days until they can return to the sandy planet of Arrakis, sandworms and all.
However, many people were left puzzled when The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy made a shock appearance at the London premiere.
Her involvement in the film had mainly been kept under wraps according to director Denis Villeneuve, who claimed to EW that “Everybody signed with their blood” to not reveal the secret – figuratively, of course.
If you’re wondering who this actress has been cast as then your wait is over. We’ve seen Dune: Part Two in its entirety at an early screening and can confirm it now.
Dune: Part Two releases on 1 March 2024, and you can get your tickets from AMC Theatres, Fandango and Atom in the US, and Cineworld, Odeon and Vue in the UK.
Spoilers for Dune: Part Two below.
Who does Anya Taylor-Joy play in Dune 2?
Anya Taylor-Joy plays Alia Atreides, the sister of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet).
Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) is pregnant with Paul’s sister throughout the film. However, Alia appears in one of the protagonists’ many flash-forward vision sequences, where we see a figure walking through the sand and eventually finding a shore, looking out over an ocean. We know she’s Alia, as she calls Paul ‘brother’.
It’s a small scene in the grand scheme of things, but a tease that she’ll play a huge role in the franchise… if Dune is renewed for a third instalment.
Taylor-Joy is pleased to be on board, stating at the premiere: “This is a dream come true. You know, the books are incredible, but, with this cast and with Denis, it just doesn’t get any better than that.”
Who is Alia Atreides in Dune?
Alia is the second-born child of the deceased Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Issac) and Lady Jessica of the Bene Gesserit.
Whilst she is pregnant, Jessica drinks the Water of Life to become the new Reverend Mother of the tribe she’s settled with. When she does, both she and her unborn baby become aware of their ancestral memories.
During the second film, Alia has a consciousness in the womb and can communicate with Jessica clearly – far beyond her actual age.
In the books, she can reason as an adult when she is physically a toddler. As such, the Bene Gesserit consider her an abomination. Nonetheless, she eventually proves to be a crucial ally to her brother in his fight against one of the great Houses.
Will there be a Dune: Part Three?
Villeneuve is planning on making Dune a trilogy and revealed at a press conference in South Korea (via Deadline) that work on the third script is almost complete – this was back in December of last year.
However, Warner Bros and Legendary have not fully confirmed if the film will come to fruition – it may likely depend on how well the sequel performs. The director confirmed to Time magazine (via The Independent) that it would be the final instalment of the series.
If it does get the green light, we don’t yet know when it will be released, but one thing is for certain: Alia will play a huge part in the story.