Florence Pugh, the Oscar (Little Women) nominated English actress, is in talks to join the all-star ranks of Dune: Part 2, the follow-up to the Oscar-nominated sci-fi epic.

If a deal is made, Pugh would be the first franchise newcomer to join a returning cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Javier Bardem, among others.

The Villeneuve-directed feature is to resume where the first one left off, telling the rest of the story of Frank Herbert’s seminal 1965 novel of the same name, with Paul Atreides (Chalamet) fighting with the Fremen to free the desert planet of Arrakis from the grips of House Harkonnen.

Villeneuve is casting three new major parts, including Emperor Shaddam IV, the ruler who sent the Atreides family to Arrakis, and Feyd-Rautha, the cunning nephew of the baron who heads the Harkonnen.

Pugh will play Princess Irulan, the daughter of the Emperor. Several obstacles remain, however, for any deal. The script is still being written, and thus the actress is said to be waiting for the latest draft. Also, scheduling poses another hurdle. Legendary is hoping to begin shooting this summer, but Pugh is also candidate for the Madonna biopic, and it is unclear when that would go, should she get that role.

Ukraine Impact

The first movie shot partly in Hungary and Dune: Part 2 is planning the same. That’s close to the biggest conflict in Europe since World War II, and it is yet unclear if it will impact the project’s plans.

Dune, which was released day-and-date in the U.S. on HBO Max, grossed over $400 million worldwide.

Warner will release Dune: Part 2 on Oct. 20, 2023.

Pugh, nominated for an Oscar for 2019’s Little Women, is currently shooting Christopher Nolan’s drama Oppenheimer and is coming off appearing in Marvel Studios’ Hawkeye, which debuted in the Christmas season.