Princess Irulan Is Confirmed To Be In Dune 3, Which Means We Can Expect These 5 Plot Points

Actor Florence Pugh is set to reprise her role as Princess Irulan in Dune: Part Three. The third movie in director Denis Villeneuve’s Dune franchise, 2026’s Dune: Part Three will follow Paul Atreides as he faces off against a conspiracy that threatens his Empire years after he became ruler of the Known Universe in Dune: Part Two. Though she has had a relatively minor role in the first two Dune films so far, Irulan will play a bigger part in Dune: Part Three.

Dune: Part Three will adapt the story of author Frank Herbert’s book, Dune: Messiah, which has already shown what audiences can expect to see from Irulan’s character in the third film. Since Dune: Part Two had a very different ending than the book it’s based on, there will likely be some changes to Irulan’s character in the third film as well. However, that won’t stop Irulan from having a significant part in Dune: Part Three as a conflicted but cunning antagonist.

5

Irulan Fails To Have A Child With Paul

Irulan Can’t Preserve House Corrino’s Royal Bloodline

Close-up of Florence Pugh looking concerned as Princess Irulan in Dune Part Two

In both the book and the movie, Irulan weds Paul so he can claim the Golden Lion Throne in exchange for her father’s life. However, she did so thinking Paul would preserve her family’s bloodline by having a child with her. The Bene Gesserit even tasks Irulan with having a child with Paul to preserve the Atreides and Corrino bloodlines in Dune Messiah.

Since Paul was clearly more interested in Chani, who was Paul’s concubine in Dune Messiah, Irulan was unable to have a child with him. Though Chani disappears at the end of Dune: Part Two, Paul’s eternal love for her doesn’t change, meaning his relationship with Irulan won’t change either.

4

Irulan Conspires To Overthrow Paul

Irulan Will Act As A Villain In Dune: Part Three

In Dune Messiah, Irulan supports the plot to usurp Paul’s control over the Known Universe, having realized that he has no intention of having a child with her. However, the way she supports this insurgency will likely differ in the film. Chani became Paul’s concubine after the first Dune book, so while they were still together in Dune Messiah, Irulan secretly gave Chani contraceptives to prevent her from having a child with Paul. Since Chani ended her relationship with Paul and ran off into the desert in Dune: Part Two, Irulan will likely try to sabotage Paul in some other way in Dune: Part Three.

3

Irulan Searches For Chani

Irulan May Seek Out Another Threat To Her Family’s Future

Zendaya gazes forward with steely resolve in a scene from Dune: Part Two — Image via Warner Bros.

Although Chani turned her back on Paul in Dune: Part Two, Paul had a romantic relationship with Chani earlier in the film. The latter could have already been pregnant with Paul’s children by the time the credits rolled. Since Irulan may try to maintain her family’s royal bloodline as in the book, she may try to locate Chani and any children she may have.

Chani may not be with Paul anymore, but her having the children of Emperor Paul Atreides would threaten the Corrino family’s chances of inheriting the Golden Lion Throne. Dune Messiah did have Chani try to kill Irulan for jeopardizing her pregnancy, so it seems these two characters could fight it out on the big screen as well.

2

Irulan Defects From The Bene Gesserit

Irulan May Switch Sides In Dune: Part Three

Florence Pugh as Irulan with a scroll in Dune Part Two

While Irulan is a member of Dune‘s Corrupt House Corrino and the Bene Gesserit, Dune: Part Two showed she was conflicted about where her allegiance lies. She was disillusioned with her father after her father and the Harkonnens attacked House Atreides. She also criticized the Reverend Mother Mohiam for trying to eradicate the Atreides bloodline. Though Dune Messiah saw her working with the Bene Gesserit to overthrow Paul, she turns against them, fed up with being manipulated. Dune: Part Two already sowed the seeds of her defection, and the sequel will likely see them come to fruition.

1

Irulan Will Help Raise Paul And Chani’s Children

Irulan Will Ensure House Atreides Lives On

After defecting from the Bene Gesserit in Dune Messiah, Irulan swears loyalty to House Atreides out of grief for Paul, who gives up control of his Empire to his sister Alia and wanders off into the desert. She even vows to help raise Paul and Chani’s twins, Leto and Ghanima, as their teacher. Though Irulan conspired against Paul and his family in the book, Alia spared her from execution, knowing that she could be trusted. Since it seems Irulan will turn against the Bene Gesserit in Dune: Part Three, chances are that she will follow the source material and care for Paul and Chani’s children, which should help pave the way for a fourth Dune film.