The spice must flow, and so with it goesAnya Taylor-Joy, star of this year’sFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagaand the upcoming AppleTV+ original filmThe Gorge. Earlier this year, Taylor-Joy made an appearance inDune: Part Twoas Alia Atreides, the younger sister of Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, who appears to her brother during a Water of Life-induced vision. While brief, the cameo is significant, as Alia plays an important role inDune Messiah, the next book in the series and the basis for the forthcoming third film in Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy.
So, just how big of a role will Taylor-Joy play? While remaining fairly tight-lipped overall, the actress herself did confirm that she will be a part of Villeneuve’s upcoming film. In aconversation with Collider, Taylor-Joy said:
“Yeah, the film is being made, andI am so thrilled to be a part of it… I’m such a big fan of everybody that’s a part of that project and I just can’t wait.”
She also admitted to feeling “anxious” when discussingDune Messiah, given the secrecy of the project.
Only a sliver of information to be sure, but if one considers the actress’s busy schedule in the coming year and does a little math, her involvement in the project could in fact be quite extensive. Taylor-Joy revealed, “I am working for the next year and a half, so I am next available in a year and a half’s time.” Some of this time will be devoted to filmingLucky, a new TV series also from AppleTV+, which is set to begin filming sometime in the spring of 2025. WithDuneexpected to begin shooting in 2026, Taylor-Joy’s packed schedule could indicate she will be among the sandworms for a good chunk of that time.
Denis Villeneuve Doesn’t Think of His Dune Films as a Trilogy
Director Denis Villeneuve sees his two Dune films as one movie, meaning his upcoming third film won’t be a traditional trilogy ending.
Anya Taylor-Joy’s Alia Could Be a Big Departure From the ‘Dune’ Novels
It’s hard to know what to expect fromDune Messiah, orDune: Part Three,given the changes made by Villeneuvein the previous two films. Most notably, aside from her brief appearance inPart Two, Alia is absent from the action, remaining in her mother Lady Jessica’s womb by the film’s end. This deviates from the source material by Frank Herbert, as Alia is very much born and active by the end of the first novel, having aged rapidly due to her mother consuming the Water of Life – which gives Alia all the powers and knowledge of a Reverend Mother. She’s even the one to kill Baron Harkonnen, a job left to Paul inPart Two.
Considering this, Alia could look and behave differently from her literary counterpart. One big difference already made is the age of the character – she’s roughly 16 years old at the beginning ofMessiah. Taylor-Joy could potentially play the character at 16, though again, Alia ages rapidly, so this could explain her more adult-like appearance inPart TwoandMessiah. Fans will just have to wait untilDune Messiahfinally hits theaters to see how Villeneuve and Taylor-Joy handle the character.
Dune: Part Two
