Summary

• Lady Jessica's role is significantly expanded in Dune: Part Two compared to the original novel and the first movie.
• Director Denis Villeneuve chose to give Lady Jessica a larger presence in the second half of the Dune story for added depth.
• Changes to the Dune: Part Two narrative, like delaying Alia's birth, showcase Rebecca Ferguson's powerful portrayal of Lady Jessica.

Dune: Part Two's returning cast included Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Paul Atreides' mother. However, the Lady Jessica Dune role was significantly expanded for the movie's narrative.

While Lady Jessica is a significant character in the Dune novel and the first movie, her presence in the second half of the story was significantly less. Along with several other Dune book changes, Denis Villeneuve decided to elevate the importance of Rebecca Ferguson's character in Dune: Part Two. While Lady Jessica was always important as the mother of both Paul and Alia, she now plays a much more active role throughout the entirety of the story.

Why David Villeneuve Gave Lady Jessica A Greater Role In Dune: Part Two

The Dune: Part Two Director Felt Lady Jessica Deserved To Play A Greater Part

Prior to the release of Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve gave some cryptic clues about the increased presence of Lady Jessica in the Dune sequel. Speaking with Town & Country, Villeneuve revealed Jessica would have a larger role in Dune: Part Two than in the second half of the Dune novel. He acknowledges Jessica doesn't have a major story arc in the book, which he changed when writing Dune: Part Two:

"Lady Jessica kind of disappears in the second part of the book, and I made sure as I was writing the screenplay to do the opposite, to make sure that she will be active, to bring her back to the front of the story. I’m looking forward for the world to see what Rebecca [Ferguson] has accomplished. She’s not afraid to go very far away. She’s a force that I can count on."

How Lady Jessica's Dune Role Changed In Dune 2

The Birth Of Alia Is Delayed To Elevate Jessica's Role In Paul's Story

In Herbert's Dune novel, Jessica becomes a Reverend Mother of the Bene Gesserit, using her genetic memory to unlock new knowledge and abilities. She uses these powers to help Paul become the Fremen's prophet, Maud'Dib, using his strength as a male Bene Gesserit, otherwise known as Kwisatz Haderach. Jessica also learns she is pregnant with Duke Leto Atreides' daughter and Paul's sister, Alia.

However, Jessica falls into the background of the original Dune novel after becoming a Reverend Mother. Her most important action in the second half of Dune is giving birth to Alia, who has the mind of an adult due to Jessica becoming a Reverend Mother while pregnant with her. But Jessica does not have a major role afterward, with much of the focus instead being on Paul gaining the trust of the Fremen as he becomes recognized as their prophet.

However, in Dune: Part Two, Alia's birth is pushed back, with Lady Jessica's pregnancy taking focus in the movie thanks to a significant change — she can communicate with the embryo of Alia, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, after drinking the Water of Life. This decision was also explained by Denis Villeneuve shortly after the release of the second movie, and the director justified the changes to the book by explaining they intensified not only the Lady Jessica Dune narrative, but also Paul's:

It came out of screenwriting discussions with Jon [Spaihts], when we were trying to figure out how to increase tension and create more momentum in the story. To put more pressure on Paul, we decided to compress time. We had this idea that we could create the feeling of the progression of time through Jessica's pregnancy. I thought this was really fresh and original to have a character who is pregnant and still a powerful woman, a central figure of the story. I don't having seen that, especially in a sci-fi movie, and it gave me the opportunity to develop ideas that were in the book. Having her talk to her fetus was a way to illustrate the power of the Water of Life, this substance that gives you access to the past lives of previous Reverend Mothers. It was a way to more precisely express how Alia becomes this abomination.

The decision to delay the birth of Alia and have more of a focus on the pregnancy not only elevated Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica Dune character, but also the narrative of Dune: Part Two itself. If and when Dune 3 arrives, Alia will be a key focus, and her arrival will be all the more significant thanks to the creative decision made by Denis Villeneuve and the rest of the creative team behind the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel.