Dune: Part Two star Florence Pugh expresses hope audiences will see more of her character Princess Irulan in the upcoming Dune: Messiah. Speaking with Harper’s Bazaar ahead of the premiere of Marvel’s Thunderbolts* this summer, Pugh briefly touched on her impending return to the Dune franchise. While she didn’t offer much, she did express enthusiasm over potentially getting to wear more of the property’s distinct, eye-catching costumes. In its profile, Harper’s Bazaar notes that Pugh will be busy with principal photography on Messiah at some point over the summer.
“I hope we see more of her. I want more cool outfits!” Pugh said.
Pugh debuted as Princess Irulan, daughter to Emperor Shaddam IV, in last year’s Dune: Part Two. The character doesn’t have the most screen time in the film, but she factors in critically to the plot. As Paul Atreides ascends to power, Irulan agrees to become his wife — on the condition Paul spares Shaddam. This sets up a larger role for Irulan in the next film.
Warner Bros. has not officially dated Dune: Messiah as of this writing, but director Denis Villeneuve has enthusiastically fast-tracked the film, hoping to start rolling the cameras soon. It is believed Dune: Messiah will slide into the December 2026 date WB has set aside for a Villeneuve “event film.” The movie’s cast is starting to round into shape, with Jason Momoa set to return and Robert Pattinson being eyed to play villain Scytale.
Pugh will likely get her wish for an expanded role, as Princess Irulan is a main character in the Dune: Messiah book. As the story begins, she serves as Imperial Consort, and is later appointed to Paul’s high council. As he adapts the novel for film, there’s a chance Villeneuve will make some changes to the source material (most notably to an unsavory subplot involving Duncan Idaho and Paul’s younger sister Alia). In the books, there’s a 12-year time jump between Dune and Messiah, something that might have to be addressed since the film is coming to fruition much quicker. Still, in order for Villeneuve’s film to be as faithful an adaptation as possible, Irulan will need to play a significant part.
Audiences will surely enjoy that. Pugh, a gifted actress with the range to play a variety of characters, is a tremendous asset to any film she’s in. She made a memorable impression on audiences in her relatively brief screen time in Dune: Part Two, so it should be a treat to see more of her in Messiah. Princess Irulan is one of the more intriguing and fascinating characters in the series, which will give Pugh a lot of juicy material to explore as a performer. The star-studded ensemble is one of the trademark features of Villeneuve’s Dune franchise, as each character is brought to life by a talented actor who’s an ideal fit for the role. It’ll be exciting to see what Pugh can do with a bigger role in Messiah.
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