Florence Pugh Stole the Show in Dune: Part Two

Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune immediately struck a chord with viewers in 2022, which is why its sequel, Dune: Part Two, was one of the most anticipated movies of 2024. In addition to the return of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), Chani (Zendaya), Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), and Stilgar (Javier Bardem), fans were excited for new additions to the cast, which included some big names. Florence Pugh, Austin Butler, Christopher Walken, and Léa Seydoux played new characters in Dune: Part Two, and Pugh’s character was a significant one.

While Dune dealt with the tragic decimation of House Atreides and the machinations of Baron Harkonnen, Dune: Part Two delved into the iconic rise of Paul as Lisan al-Gaib, the prophet who would bring paradise to Arrakis. While Pugh’s Princess Irulan was present in some shape or form in the Dune books from the beginning, she only appeared in the movies in the sequel. Her role may not have been front and center, but Florence Pugh pulled off an enigmatic performance that has fans waiting for Dune: Part Three

Florence Pugh Shone as Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Two

Close-up of Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Two against a dark backgroundImage via Warner Bros. Pictures

From Black Widow to Oppenheimer, Florence Pugh has been on a trailblazing path in Hollywood. Aside from scoring big-ticket projects, the actress has built a formidable body of work because of the kinds of roles she has chosen: dynamic, powerful, and pivotal roles in their own stories. This was why viewers were excited to see what she would bring to the table in Dune: Part Two, and Pugh did not disappoint.

Princess Irulan is the narrator of the Dune books, with her epigraphs preceding every chapter in Paul’s story. This came through when Dune: Part Two began with Irulan narrating how her father, Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV, was the one who ordered the destruction of House Atreides. He had placed Leto Atreides as the chief of Arrakis and in charge of the production of the all-important spice, and he was the one who made House Harkonnen take him down when he amassed too much influence.

Irulan was the daughter of the Emperor and a member of the Bene Gesserit, and she had been raised under the supervision of the Reverend Mother her whole life. This was evident in her behavior — she had the mysterious aura of the Bene Gesserit, who planned the fate of the universe generations in advance, and Irulan had an important part to play in it.

Pugh portrayed this new entrant with nuance, depicting Irulan’s Bene Gesserit-like ways, but also showing audiences a sense of power and groundedness that came from within the woman. She may have plotted and planned, but Irulan was innately intelligent — she understood politics and society in a way that even her father couldn’t. When he conferred with her about the rise of a messiah, Muad’Dib, within the Fremen, she had some exceptional insight to share with him. Men like the Emperor sought to squash any dissent with force, but Irulan understood that faith and religion were a drug much more potent than spice. She explained to him that repressing faith only reinforced it, and killing a prophet made him stronger, so the only solution was to let the war commence and for House Corrino to be the saviors at the end of it all.

Pugh’s signature feistiness was evident in Irulan, not overt, but still present beneath a mask of tranquility and wisdom, and that was what made her role in Dune: Part Two so special. In the books, Irulan was someone who did not like to overextend herself, but Pugh’s Princess was an active participant in her future. She was strong, decisive, and political, figuring out alliances with Houses to strengthen her own long before Paul Atreides asked for her hand. When it happened, Irulan still managed to negotiate her father’s life in return for marriage, reflecting her prowess as a leader and a woman who could hold her own in court.

Pugh Will Have a Bigger Part To Play in Dune: Part Three

Florence Pugh as Irulan Corrino stunned to hear Paul Atreides take her as his wife for alliance purpose in Dune: Part Two.Image via Warner Bros

While Florence Pugh captivated audiences whenever she was on the screen in Dune: Part Two, the only drawback was that her time was limited. With Paul’s ascent to power, Jessica’s scheming as the Reverend Mother, and the love story between Chani and Paul, the Emperor’s court was not often depicted in the movie. Irulan’s presence was sprinkled throughout the story as she narrated the history of their world and tried to trace generational lines with the Bene Gesserit before her final appearance in the film.

Here, Irulan saw her father being deposed, and then agreed to marriage with Paul Atreides, which was the big marker for her future in the Dune universe. Even if the other Houses had opposed it, Paul had ascended as the Emperor, and Irulan wanted to strengthen House Corrino by producing heirs with Paul.

In Dune: Part Three, Irulan and Paul will wed, which will then set Irulan’s own arc in motion. Seeing how in love Paul and Chani were, his sudden proposal to Irulan may have come as a shock, but it was a purely political move on his part. He could validate his ascent as Emperor even further if he were married to Irulan, but the heart of the Muad’Dib still lay with his Fremen love.

According to the Dune books, Paul only marries Irulan in name, reserving his affections for Chani. Not only this, but Paul also wanted Chani to sire his heirs, and not with Irulan, who wanted to sire successors for him. This leads the Princess down a dark path, as she starts administering Chani with a toxic birth control drug that not only renders her infertile, but also slowly starts killing her. When Chani does give birth to Paul’s children, she dies because of years of poisoning, which destroys Paul and gives him no reason to carry on.

Pugh’s Irulan has a significant part to play in the third Dune movie, both in the love triangle between herself, Paul and Chani, and as the only connection between the Bene Gesserit and House Atreides. With Irulan losing her leverage in both places, it will be interesting to see Pugh’s portrayal of a Princess who goes down a dark path, despite having all the power.

Princess Irulan Sought Redemption Following Chani’s Death

Dune 2's Princess Irulan is positioned in front of a planet
Dune 2’s Princess Irulan is positioned in front of a planetImage via Warner Bros. Pictures

Dune is full of the most intriguing characters, but what makes Princess Irulan stand out is that she is one of the few who has a redemption arc. The space opera explores the most basic of human desires, and most characters are seen descending into their worst selves; however, Princess Irulan has a redemption arc.

After Chani’s death, she felt guilt for the pain she had caused and all her actions. Their children, Leto and Ghanima, were left orphaned, and Irulan decided to care for them as if they were her own. One of the most significant things Irulan did was to break ties with the Bene Gesserit, who had used her as a puppet to control House Atreides. With Paul gone and the children too young to rule, Alia became the Emperor Regent and Irulan, her most trusted advisor. She dedicated herself completely to House Atreides and the well-being of Paul’s children, which was a massive evolution for her character.

So, while Florence Pugh was only seen sparingly in Dune: Part Two, her future in the Dune universe is a big one. In just a few scenes, the actress effectively communicated to the audience that she was an integral part of the story and established Irulan as a wise yet headstrong young woman. Dune: Part Three will see more of Pugh as the Princess, and there is a lot of anticipation to see what her character will really be like, as her introduction in Dune: Part Two was one that sparked more curiosity.

To her credit, the actress brought to life a character who, otherwise, has been portrayed as someone without agency or possessing too much wisdom (the Bene Gesserit called her “dim”) and transformed her into a powerful, secure, and intelligent young woman. There are some big differences between the movie and book counterparts, and most viewers immensely enjoyed Pugh’s Irulan, who carried her worth and weight with pride and wasn’t just a naive puppet in the hands of others.

It remains to be seen how faithful the makers will stay to her plotline in the book when Dune: Part Three is released in 2026.