Summary

• Dune: Part Three's confirmed cast are crucial for exploring the saga's existential themes across installments.
• Director Denis Villeneuve has revealed Anya Taylor-Joy's significant role in Dune 3 after her brief cameo in Part Two.
• Anya Taylor-Joy's increased involvement in Dune 3 will likely provide answers to Alia's ambiguous debut in Part Two.

Although the movie is some way off, dramatic ending of Dune: Part Two.

Director Denis Villeneuve has itted that, despite the critical and commercial success of Dune: Part Two, his vision for a third installment in the series is still just "an embryo" (via Empire). This early in the writing process, it's clear that several crucial details are yet to be ironed out, meaning that the story may yet differ from the blueprint provided by Frank Herbert's follow-up novel, Dune Messiah. It is unclear, for instance, whether Dune: Part Three, will follow the book's 12-year time jump. However, despite these uncertainties, some casting confirmations do reveal some important details about the project.

Anya Taylor-Joy's Dune 3 Return Makes Dune 2's Alia Vision More Important

As well as confirming that his plans for Dune: Part Three are in their very early stages, Denis Villeneuve has also revealed that Anya Taylor-Joy will be returning to the franchise after her brief but crucial 28-second cameo in Dune: Part Two. Given Taylor-Joy's profile, her role was always likely to be more prominent than it seemed. However, in comments about his plans for her character, Villeneuve has revealed just how crucial she could be in Dune: Part Three – and by association how significant her Dune: Part Two debut could become in retrospect. As the director explained to Variety (via email):

"Anya was Alia as soon as I met with her. In fact, I realized after the fact, she has always been Alia. Anya feels out of this world, as though she belongs to some other dimension, one step into the dream.

"Shooting with Anya in Africa was nothing short of magical. Her generosity, candor and ion truly moved me. I can’t wait to go back on Arrakis with her.”

These comments seemingly confirm that Taylor-Joy will play a much more significant role in Dune: Part Three. However, by virtue of this increased involvement, it also seems likely that Alia's brief beach debut in Dune: Part Two will only become more important as her character plays a more prominent role. While it initially seemed like a straightforward way for Villeneuve to acknowledge the character's importance while revealing the crucial detail about the Harkonnen and Atreides connection, the fact that the director chose to make this moment Taylor-Joy's debut indicates that more will be revealed about the scene in the future.

Dune 3 Can Fully Explain Dune 2's Alia Scene

Despite being a satisfying moment for book fans who may have been expecting Alia to play a more extensive role in Dune: Part Two, Alia's debut left a lot of questions unanswered. It wasn't even completely clear who Taylor-Joy was playing without familiarity with the book, adding to the sense of mystery around her character. If, as Villeneuve seems to be suggesting, Anya Taylor-Joy will play a much larger role in the next installment, it seems almost certain that the movie will help explain some missing gaps about the nature of the pair's relationship.

It's not certain whether what's being presented is a vision of the future, a possible alternate reality, or something purely imaginary

One of the most striking things about Alia and Paul's exchange on the beach was its intimacy. As is the case with many of the Dune movies' dream sequences, it's not certain whether what's being presented is a vision of the future, a possible alternate reality, or something purely imaginary. The nature of Alia's role in Dune: Part Three can retrospectively answer these questions, making her Dune: Part Two debut all the more significant.

Dune 3 Bringing Back Anya Taylor-Joy & Jason Momoa Sets Up Key Alia & Duncan Story

While Anya Taylor-Joy's Dune: Part Three role can have direct implications for the Dune: Part Two beach scene, she is not the only actor confirmed to be returning to the project. Although his involvement remains unofficial, Jason Momoa has all but confirmed that he, too, will be featuring in Dune: Part Three. In a cryptic interview with Men's Health, Momoa said:

It'll be a good future now if Duncan Idaho may have some sort of ... You know what we did have? Oh man, I can't actually say this. I'll get in trouble. F*ck. Well, there was something that was really cool that went into the movie that didn't make the first one, and it was pretty epic... I'll try to get it back. I'll try to get it back in the third one.

Momoa's return as Duncan Idaho makes sense given Dune Messiah's story, in which Idaho is brought back to life as a form of human clone called a ghola. However, the fact that he is featuring alongside Taylor-Joy suggests that Dune: Part Three will explore the romantic subplot between the pair, established in Dune Messiah and continued in Children of Dune. This storyline would underscore the point that Dune: Part Two's Alia introduction is much more than a sly nod to book fans and actually establishes the character's central role in the story moving forward.

Sources: Variety, Men's Health