Will Florence Pugh Be in ‘Dune’ 2?

After Dune premiered on HBO Max in 2021, it left most people wondering when the second half of the story was coming. Each passing day brings us closer to Dune 2’s slated release date of October 20, 2023. The movie will begin filming this summer, but many key characters have yet to be cast. One of the latest rumors on the internet is the casting of Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan Corrino.

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune packed in many interesting characters and talented actors. However, several key characters were missing from the first film, and one of these characters is Princess Irulan. The oldest daughter of Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, she entered the Atreides’ story through her father’s scheming in Frank Herbert’s original Dune books. The Emperor plotted to get rid of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), and his family, for being too popular.

Many similarities exist between Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and Irulan. They are the eldest children of powerful families, born to Bene Gesserit mothers, and have extensive education. In the original novel, Irulan is the historian of the Atreides. She chronicled the events between Arrakis and the House Atreides, thus preserving it for future generations to remember, yet she also weaved in information about her father. She showed the Emperor as a flawed man rather than an outright villain.

Will Florence Pugh play Princess Irulan?

While the casting has yet to be officially confirmed, The Hollywood Reporter says that Pugh is in talks for the role. Pugh joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Black Widow as Yelena Belova, the highly skilled assassin and younger sister of Natasha Romanov. She reprised the role in Disney+’s Hawkeye series. She also has many other dramatic roles under her belt, including the remake of Little Women, where she stole the show as the youngest sister, Amy. Starring in Dune would reunite her with Little Women costar Timothée Chalamet.

Although she doesn’t physically fight, Irulan is a powerhouse in her own right. Trained to be a Bene Gesserit and a princess, she knows how to maneuver amongst leaders. As a talented actress, Florence Pugh would be perfect to bring such a nuanced character to life.

(featured image: Marvel Entertainment)

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D.R. Medlen

D.R. Medlen (she/her) is a pop culture staff writer at The Mary Sue. After finishing her BA in History, she finally pursued her lifelong dream of being a full-time writer in 2019. She expertly fangirls over Marvel, Star Wars, and historical fantasy novels (the spicier the better). When she's not writing or reading, she lives that hobbit-core life in California with her spouse, offspring, and animal familiars.