Potential spoilers for Dune: Part Two following confirmed cast addition

Summary

• Anya Taylor-Joy's addition to Dune 2 hints at the possibility of Dune 3 becoming a trilogy.
• It is likely that Anya Taylor-Joy will portray Alia Atreides, Paul's sister, in Dune 2, potentially setting up her return in Dune 3.
• Dune 3 may need to make changes to the character of Alia Atreides in order to explain Anya Taylor-Joy's age similarity to the other main cast .

Dune: Part Two has added a surprise cast member in Anya Taylor-Joy, and her addition to the franchise sets up a major book change for Dune 3. Although Warner Bros. has yet to officially confirm that Denis Villeneuve will adapt Frank Herbert's Dune: Messiah book with a third movie, the likelihood of the sci-fi franchise expanding into a trilogy has become more likely. This puts Dune 2 in a position to set up the third film in the series by introducing new characters and cast who could play major roles in the threequel, such as Florence Pugh's Princess Irulan.

However, the Dune 2 cast secretly added some major star power that looks to be a sign of what is to come in Dune 3. This is due to the news that Anya Taylor-Joy was cast in Dune 2. The actress appeared at the world premiere and confirmed her involvement in the sequel, although the role has yet to be officially confirmed. This is because of the spoiler nature of Anya Taylor-Joy's involvement. The secrecy surrounding adding one of Hollywood's rising stars to an already loaded ensemble cast appears to be further set up for Dune 3 changing the book.

Anya Taylor-Joy Could Be Playing Alia Atreides In Dune: Part Two

Even though it is not officially confirmed what role Anya Taylor-Joy is playing in Dune 2, Alia Atreides is the most likely option. The younger sister of Paul Atreides has always been expected to play a role in the movie based on her involvement in the book, but how Denis Villeneuve would bring the controversial character to life was always in question. Alia's role in Dune 2 appears to have been revealed with the suggestion that she is only an embryo who talks to her mother during this movie. This means Alia might not physically be seen in Dune 2.

If Alia is not born yet in Dune 2, this means that the character might only be included in a voice capacity, allowing Anya Taylor-Joy to play Paul's sister without possibly ever going to set. This provides a good workaround for Villeneuve to bring the character to life. In the book, Alia is younger than four years old but acts and speaks like an adult thanks to her connection to the Bene Gesserit. Faithfully adapting her in live-action has been a challenge previously due to these requirements. Anya Taylor-Joy's possible Alia role can avoid the same issues.

Anya Taylor-Joy's Alia Atreides Casting Would Be Big News For Dune 3

Anya Taylor-Joy voicing Alia Atreides in Dune 2 has bigger implications for the franchise, especially for Dune 3. Alia has a much bigger role to play in the Dune: Messiah book, as it takes place 12 years later. Without revealing too much about what happens to her and the journey Paul's sister goes on in the second book, this appears to be an instance where Denis Villeneuve is thinking ahead for the franchise. It would make the most sense if Anya Taylor-Joy's casting is a promise that she will return in Dune 3.

The Dune movies have had no trouble finding major stars to be part of the franchise, and adding Anya Taylor-Joy is another massive win for Villeneuve's vision. In addition to having Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh all return as Paul, Chani, and Irulan, Dune 3 is now positioned to have Taylor-Joy play a major role. This gives the film an incredible collection of Hollywood's brightest young stars. With Anya Taylor-Joy's star still on the rise, her return as Alia in Dune 3 could significantly bolster the sequel's anticipation and box office return.

Jason Momoa is also expected to return as Duncan Idaho in Dune 3, which connects to Alia's story in the book.

Dune 3 Will Have To Change Alia Atreides To Explain Anya Taylor-Joy's Return

The tricky part of having Anya Taylor-Joy return as Alia Atreides in Dune 3 is that Denis Villeneuve's sequel will have to change the character from the book to make this work. Alia is only a teenager during the events of Dune: Messiah since the sequel picks up 12 years after where Dune 2 should end the story and is meant to be much younger than Paul, Chani, or Irulan. The problem is that Anya Taylor-Joy is practically the exact same age as her future Dune 3 co-stars Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Florence Pugh, all of whom are either 27 or 28 years old.

Dune 3 will have to change the source material to explain why Alia is roughly the same age as her older brother despite being born much later. The good news is that Villeneuve could make this switch by expanding on Frank Herbert's ideas for the character in the book. Instead of only having Alia's mental capacity well beyond her years, Dune 3 could lean further into sci-fi to explain that Alia ages quicker than regular humans. This would allow Anya Taylor-Joy to return as Alia Atreides in Dune 3 without having to try and as a teenager.