Like a sandworm rumbling through the desert, Dune: Part Two is coming to the surface, and now one of its biggest missing pieces may have been found. Florence Pugh (Midsommar,Black Widow) is reportedly in talks to play Princess Irulan, daughter of the villainous Emperor Shaddam IV, in the upcoming sequel starring Timothée Chalamet and directed by Denis Villeneuve.
As exciting as that may be, according to the Hollywood Reporter which broke the news, it’s not yet a done deal. The script hasn’t been finished, so Pugh could pass on that, plus filming will be happening around the same time as an even more coveted role she’s up for, that of Madonna in the Madonna biopic… directed by Madonna. So scheduling might be an issue. But, for now, she’s got the inside track on the role.
In the world of Dune, Irulan is a key figure and would continue into any potential sequels. As the daughter of the Emperor, she becomes an important part of Paul Atreides’ plan to rule the galaxy; we’d say more, but if you haven’t read the books, we’d consider saying more a spoiler. She’s also an in-galaxy historian and her words act as the backbone for the structure of Frank Herbert’s original book.
Two other major roles need to be cast for Dune: Part Two. There’s the aforementioned Emperor, Irulan’s father and ruler of the galaxy, as well as Feyd-Rautha, evil nephew of Barron Harkonnen and heir to the family legacy. That’s the role Sting played so memorably in the David Lynch film, so it’s a lot to live up to.
Of course, all of the characters who survived the first film (which, admittedly, isn’t a lot) are expected to come back. And, depending on how things go in a few weeks, they might come back as Oscar winners as Dune: Part One is up for several awards at the ceremony. All of which sounds like a very nice group for the excellent Pugh to join.
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