While Dune: Part One is set to play a role in the upcoming awards season, the in-development sequel is already making some moves.
According to Deadline, Florence Pugh is in negotiations for a key role in Dune: Part Two. Sources say she will play Princess Irulan Corrino, the eldest daughter to Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV.
Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya and Josh Brolin are all confirmed to return, along with director, producer and co-screenwriter Denis Villeneuve.
Despite Dune being released in cinemas but also same day on HBO Max last year, the film still performed pretty well at the box office, scoring an opening weekend of $41 million. That exceeded expectations and led to a quick greenlight for the sequel weeks later. The film has grossed $400 million worldwide, and recently racked up nine Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
Pugh is an emerging star coming off a big year in which she was involved in two MCU projects – Black Widow and the Disney+ series Hawkeye.
She previously starred in wrestling comedy-drama Fighting With My Family, surreal horror Midsommar, and Greta Gerwig‘s Little Women, which earned her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
Hollywood clearly see her as a star too, as along with the Dune sequel, she’s also set to star in Olivia Wilde‘s psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling, Knives Out-esque mystery The Maid, Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer, Netflix film The Wonder, and drama A Good Person, which is being directed by boyfriend Zach Braff.
The success of the first Dune should lead to much anticipation for its second part. The cast was already stacked, and the likely addition of Pugh will make it even more so. Production on the movie is scheduled to begin this autumn. The film is scheduled to be released October 20, 2023.
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