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

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg Take Flight: A High-Flying Partnership Ignites on a Private Jet Journey

In a scene that could have been ripped from a sci-fi blockbuster, two of the world’s most influential tech titans, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, stood side…

🕯️ When a Retired Detective Is Forced to Confront the Case He Thought Was Long Dead, ITV’s New Drama Explodes Into a Nightmare of Lies, Violence, and Heartbreak — With Line of Duty’s Powerhouse Star and a Shetland Legend Leading What Critics Are Calling the Darkest, Most Devastating Detective Story in Years. ⚡💔

The British crime drama landscape, long dominated by the likes of Vera and Midsomer Murders, is about to be rocked to its core. ITV’s latest offering, The…

Mark Zuckerberg’s Heartfelt Revelation: “My Wife and Daughters Are My Queens and Princesses, I’m the Happiest Man in the World”

In the fast-paced world of Silicon Valley, where algorithms and acquisitions often dominate headlines, Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire founder of Meta, offered a rare glimpse into his…

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s Newborn Son Steals Hearts: Adorable Photos Spark Joy Across Social Media

In a world where social media often amplifies chaos, Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Dr. Priscilla Chan, gifted the internet a moment of pure, unfiltered joy on…

🔥 BREAKING: Landman Season 2 Hits Paramount+ — Tommy Norris Faces Off Against a Deadly Cartel Boss, Cami Miller Grabs the Oil Throne, and Sam Elliott Arrives With Secrets That Could Blow West Texas Apart 💥🛢️

The dusty plains of West Texas roar back to life as Landman Season 2 explodes onto Paramount+ on November 16, 2025. Taylor Sheridan’s gritty drama, inspired by…

Trump’s Lavish White House Tech Dinner: Zuckerberg’s Bombshell Remark to Musk’s Absence Steals the Show

On the evening of September 4, 2025, the White House’s State Dining Room glittered with the kind of star power that could rival a Hollywood premiere. President…