Roughly twenty seconds into the first official trailer for "Dune: Part Two," Florence Pugh's Princess Irulan alludes to secrets hiding on the planet Arrakis, speaking into what appears to be a recording device. This indicates that the film will acknowledge and incorporate Irulan's role as historian, known to readers of the first "Dune" novel through the excerpts of her writings that precede each chapter. Since these mark the only mentions of Irulan prior to her appearance during the book's final sequence, it seems that Pugh's character will play a more active role in the movie sequel's story than in its source material.
Director Denis Villeneuve hinted at Irulan's significance to "Dune: Part Two" in the profile of the film Vanity Fair published on April 27. "Her stake could not be higher because she's afraid that her father could lose the throne, could lose everything," Villeneuve said. Just as in the book series, Irulan's father is universal Emperor Shaddam IV, portrayed by Christopher Walken.
The villainous Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) is likewise debuting in "Dune: Part Two" — fans of David Lynch's "Dune" will remember him as Sting's character. The threat he poses to Shaddam IV's rule, Villeneuve goes on to explain, will motivate Irulan in what appears to be a storyline altogether new to this telling of "Dune."
