Paul's sister, Alia Atreides, will be a "bad guy" in Dune 3, according to star Anya Taylor-Joy, which could be considered a deviation from the novel it's adapting, Dune: Messiah, depending on your perspective.
The revelation comes from Taylor-Joy, who told The New York Times: "At the end of the movie, Denis and I talked, and I was like, 'Whoa, I'm the bad guy. That's crazy.'" In black-and-white terms, Alia never actively conspires against Paul in Dune: Messiah in the same way that Irulan and Scytale do. However, Alia does form a close connection with Hayt (played by Jason Momoa in Dune 3) – a complex figure who is born of wicked intent.
Alia has been aged up significantly for Dune 3 (she's 16 in the novel, while Taylor-Joy is 30), but it seems Alia's illicit relationship with Hayt will still be a major part of Dune 3, and she'll be putting this relationship ahead of all others in the movie.
"I really understood where [Alia] was coming from," Taylor-Joy said. "What a gift of a character; to play somebody that has one connection to one person, and nobody else matters at all. That kind of straightforwardness felt almost animalistic in a way. I've never really done animal work before, but she was definitely my most feral creation."
Director Denis Villeneuve has been a co-writer on all three Dune movies, and has made numerous adaptive changes to the novel so far. Most pertinent for Dune 3 is that Zendaya's Chani is no longer the doting wife of Dune: Messiah, but is seemingly actively working to unseat Paul as Padishah Emperor following the galactic genocide committed in his name that results in the deaths of billions. Or at least work through some harsh feelings after Paul's betrayal of her during the Dune: Part Two ending.
Dune: Part Three will also continue the work of Dune: Part Two by making it clear that Paul is not the righteous hero of this story anymore, according to Taylor-Joy. "Paul is a very charismatic character, and you have to have the third movie to be like, 'Hold up, this is not the moral of the story.'" In other words, one person's bad guy is another person's hero, and Alia working with Paul would then make her a villain too. Would that make Robert Pattinson's Scytale and Chani, who are seen trying to kill a maniacal Paul Atreides the final Dune 3 trailer the actual heroes of Dune 3? Makes you think.
Dune 3 releases on December 18 (the same day as Avengers: Doomsday). For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies worth getting excited about.
