Dune 2 Features A Surprisingly Big Name We Didn't Know About

Warning: the spice must flow ... and so do spoilers. Read no further if you don't want to know any more news about the cast of "Dune: Part Two."

I bet you thought we were done with all those breathless articles gawking at the newest big-name star added to the ensemble cast of "Dune: Part Two," didn't you? Oh, my sweet summer child. The highly-anticipated sci-fi epic might be mere weeks away from its theatrical release, but that's not stopping the surprises from sneaking through anyway. Seriously, if you'd rather preserve the experience for opening weekend, this is your last chance. Read no further!

Still here? Cool, so let's dig into this ... responsibly! For those like us who spend entirely too much time on the internet, the rumor mill has been grinding away in recent weeks regarding a certain famous actor who may or may not have a small (but significant) role in director Denis Villeneuve's upcoming "Dune" sequel. Considering a cast packed with the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and far too many others to even name here, the only addition that could possibly move the needle would have to be someone relatively on the same level. Well, today those rumors meet reality as Variety has confirmed that none other than Anya Taylor-Joy secretly joined the cast of "Dune: Part Two."

The speculation only increased even further when the star of "The Witch," "The Queen's Gambit," and the upcoming "Furiosa" showed up at the London premiere of "Dune," decked out in what can only be called desert chic. So, who might she be playing? Variety simply refers to her as "a major character from the franchise," but we have a pretty solid idea. Once again, spoiler-phobes, turn away now!

To be clear, nothing apart from Anya Taylor-Joy's involvement in "Dune: Part Two" has been confirmed at this time. And in order to give as many fans around the world the best possible experience, even her casting ought to be treated like a major spoiler. But for those obsessives on the prowl for even the tiniest possible detail to devour — and trust us, as big "Dune"-heads, we certainly empathize — we can at least speculate about just which major character from the novel that the popular actor could potentially be bringing to life.

Those who've read author Frank Herbert's original "Dune" know that there aren't a ton of options left for mystery characters, considering that newcomers pretty much have all their roles spoken for. Austin Butler is confirmed to depict Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, nephew to the Baron (Stellan Skarsgård) and cousin to Dave Bautista's Beast Rabban. Florence Pugh is set as Princess Irulan, daughter of the Emperor (Christopher Walken). Léa Seydoux's character is Lady Margot Fenring, an enigmatic new character who plays a large role in the novel(s), while Tim Blake Nelson, glaringly absent from any of the marketing thus far, remains a mystery (though it's likely to be Lady Margot's husband, Count Hasimir Fenring).

So where does that leave us with Taylor-Joy? Well, without knowing at what point "Part Two" ends, it's possible that she plays the character of Alia Atreides, Paul's sister. But wait — since Lady Jessica was only in the earliest stages of pregnancy by the end of the first film, how much of a time-jump is there in order for the 27-year-old Taylor-Joy to play the part? Readers know that Alia's aging isn't exactly normal, but we'll just leave it at that.

"Dune: Part Two" arrives March 1, 2024.