Fans of the “Dune” novel series were not shocked by much in Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation. However, even if you read the original book, you were probably shocked to see the inclusion of Anya Taylor-Joy in the film. Not only was her cameo a secret, but playing the unborn Alia Atreides is something no one predicted. However, she showed up and surprised audiences. And if Denis Villeneuve has anything to say about it, Taylor-Joy’s time in Arrakis is just beginning.
In a profile over at Variety, Anya Taylor-Joy talked a bit about playing Alia in “Dune: Part Two.” That is to say, she explained how she basically begged to be part of it but her time working on “Furiosa” made it almost impossible. “Almost” being the operative word there, as Villeneuve surprised her with the idea of cameo-ing as Alia for a brief scene in the film. Now, with “Dune: Messiah” being announced, the question remains–will Taylor-Joy reprise her role in the threequel?
“I hope so,” Taylor-Joy said about coming back for a new ‘Dune’ film.
“Shooting with Anya in Africa was nothing short of magical,” Villeneuve said. “Her generosity, candor and passion truly moved me. I can’t wait to go back on Arrakis with her.”
So, there you have it–Anya Taylor-Joy seems to be confirmed for ‘Messiah.’ Of course, adding her to the film does seem to make the rest of the cast seem a bit young, right? As great as Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet are, the idea of of doing a time-jump necessary to have Taylor-Joy play the younger sister to Paul seems a bit difficult on paper. You would somehow have to age up Zendaya and Chalamet more than 15 years to make it work. But hey, movie magic can probably make it happen. Or, more accurately, we’ll probably see Villeneuve work out a way to keep everyone aged appropriately.
There’s no release date yet for “Dune: Messiah.”