Dune 2 co-writer explains one major change to Anya Taylor-Joy’s character

Alia Atreides is different in the movie compared to the book

Anya Taylor-Joy at the Dune 2 premiere

Dune: Part Two co-writer Jon Spaihts has revealed why the movie makes a big change to Anya Taylor-Joy’s character Alia Atreides, compared to Frank Herbert’s novel.

Alia is Paul’s sister and, in the source material, is present in the story as a toddler who can talk fluently – she’s seen like this in David Lynch’s Dune movie. But, in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune 2, Alia is a fetus who speaks to her mother Jessica. In one of Paul’s visions, she appears as an adult, played by Taylor-Joy.

“We were a little leery of that talking toddler, as a distraction in the middle of the film,” Spaihts told Inverse. “That’s a difficult thing to execute on film.”

Alia’s birth would also necessitate the novel’s two year time skip, which the filmmakers had already decided against. “To allow such a long time lapse inevitably would sort of cool the passions of Part One,” Spaihts added. “If Duke Leto’s death were years and years ago, then it would lessen the lingering trauma that all the characters were feeling. We wanted the heat of their passion to be fresh and their wounds to be fresh.”

The change also made Jessica’s role in the story more intense. “It left Jessica talking to a kind of phantom inside her and walking through the Fremen world in an apparent madness, talking to someone who wasn’t there,” he said. “And we loved the drama of that.”

Dune: Part Two is in theaters now. For even more on the film, check out our deep dives below:

Related Posts

Shocking Season 3 Twist in My Life with the Walter Boys: A Devastating Family Secret Threatens to Shatter Jackie, Cole, and Alex’s World Forever!

The sun-drenched fields of Silver Falls, Colorado, have never felt so heavy with tension. As My Life with the Walter Boys gears up for its highly anticipated…

😍 “Are They More Than Co-Stars?!” – Noah LaLonde & Nikki Rodriguez Finally Break Silence After THAT Viral Romantic TikTok 💥🔥

The world of teen dramas thrives on heart-pounding romance, and few shows have captured that magic like Netflix’s My Life with the Walter Boys. At the center…

Secrets Unearthed: Jack’s Shocking Discovery in The Waterfront Season 2 Plunges the Harbor into Heart-Wrenching Chaos!

The highly anticipated second season of The Waterfront is set to premiere on November 23, 2025, and it promises to deliver a tidal wave of drama, mystery,…

Shocking Return of The Queen’s Gambit: Season 2 Confirmed for Late 2025, But Deadly Traps Await Beth Harmon in a High-Stakes Chess Odyssey

The chessboard is set, the pieces are aligned, and the world holds its breath as Netflix announces the unthinkable: The Queen’s Gambit will return for a second…

🚨 ‘Jackie’s Charm Is UNSTOPPABLE!’ – My Life with the Walter Boys Soars to #1 in 67 Countries, Leaving Fans Screaming: Team Cole or Team Alex? 💔🤯

In a world craving escapist romance and heart-pounding drama, My Life with the Walter Boys has taken the globe by storm, soaring to the top of Netflix’s…

Will Robyn Carr’s Next Small-Town Romance Steal Your Heart? Discover the Upcoming TV Adaptation Set to Outshine Virgin River and Sullivan’s Crossing!

The small-town romance genre has found a devoted following, and no one has mastered this art quite like Robyn Carr. Her bestselling book series, Virgin River and…