Who is Anya Taylor-Joy playing in Dune 2?

It’s official: Anya Taylor-Joy has a surprise role in Dune 2 – but who exactly is she playing? If you want to spoil it for yourself, read on.

Across both Dune movies, Denis Villeneuve has collected modern Hollywood’s heavyweight talent like Thanos with his Infinity Stones. The first film includes the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, and others.

Part Two broadens its scope across the universe, with Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux joining the cast for the sequel.

Everyone knows far too much about films before they’re released these days, but one casting was somehow kept under wraps… until now. This is your last chance to stop reading.

Who is Anya Taylor-Joy in Dune 2?

While unconfirmed, it’s believed Anya Taylor-Joy is playing Alia Atreides, the younger sister of Chalamet’s Paul, in Dune: Part Two.

In Frank Herbert’s Dune, Alia Atreides is the daughter of Duke Leto and Lady Jessica. Crucially, even when she’s a main character in Dune Messiah, she’s still a teenager, so it’s assumed she’ll show up in one of Paul’s visions as a grown-up version of his sibling.

We won’t go into any further details about the character’s backstory – it’s a reality to experience, not a mystery to spoil for yourself.

The star appeared at the film’s world premiere, sparking speculation about whether or not she’d appear in the movie. However, we didn’t have to wait very long, as she confirmed it herself in a brief ‘sand carpet’ interview – but “you’ll have to see” it to find out who she’s playing, she said.

“This is a dream come true, you know? The books are incredible but with this cast and with Denis, it doesn’t get any better than that,” she added.

So, why do we think she’s playing Alia? Well, the rumors began when Taylor-Joy was listed as part of the sequel’s cast on Letterboxd. Scoopers like MyTimeToShineH then began “confirming” that she’d play Alia.

Some fans are a bit wary that she may end up just being one of Princess Irulan’s (Pugh) sisters, and nobody has officially confirmed her role – but Alia seems increasingly likely.

Dune: Part Two hits cinemas on February 28, 2024.