Florence Pugh Says ‘Dune’ Is Hollywood’s New ‘Star Wars’ As The Saga Barrels Toward Its Finale

Few modern franchises have commanded the big screen quite like Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune‘ saga. Adapted from Frank Herbert’s novels, the series has turned an ambitious piece of science fiction into a theatrical event, and one of its stars is now putting that impact into perspective.

Pugh joined the series for ‘Dune: Part Two’ as Irulan, the eldest daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV and a Bene Gesserit in training. She arrived in an already stacked ensemble, and the role asked for restraint rather than spectacle. At the New York premiere of the sequel, she described the character as calculated, powerful and skilled.

That context matters, because Pugh has now offered a bold comparison. In a new interview with The New York Times, the actor suggested that ‘Dune’ helped bring back the habit of going out to the movies. She went further, saying the franchise feels like her generation’s answer to ‘Star Wars’, the kind of shared cinematic experience that audiences remember for decades.

It is a striking thing to say about any single series, and it carries extra weight coming from someone inside the production. Pugh has spent the past few years moving between blockbusters and prestige projects, so she has a good sense of what draws crowds into theaters. Her remark reads as a vote of confidence in the format as much as in the films themselves.

The timing is hardly accidental. ‘Dune: Part Three’ will reach theaters on Dec. 18, and a teaser for it was unveiled on TikTok in March. A new look at Irulan has since added to the anticipation.

Villeneuve previously revealed that he intends to make only three films, with ‘Dune: Part Three’ adapting the second novel, ‘Dune Messiah’. That book picks up after Paul Atreides has taken the throne, so the story shifts from rebellion to the consequences of ruling. It is a darker, more political chapter than what came before.

For Pugh, that should mean a much bigger canvas. Paul is now the emperor and is married to Irulan, but he refuses to have children with his wife and still has feelings for Chani, whose heart he left broken at the end of Part Two. That tension places Irulan in the middle of a complicated marriage and a royal court full of schemes.

“Forgive me for all I’ve done.” Experience the epic conclusion. Dune: Part Three only in theaters and IMAX December 18. #DuneMovie #FilmedforIMAX https://t.co/x9Nftg9yXd

— DUNE (@dunemovie) July 8, 2026

Pugh has been open about wanting more from the role. She confirmed her return in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar in April of last year, saying she hoped audiences would see more of her character and that she wanted more cool outfits. Filming was set for that summer, with principal photography expected to finish before the end of the year.

The cast surrounding her is enormous. Timothée Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, and Anya Taylor-Joy as Paul’s sister Alia. Robert Pattinson joins the franchise as Scytale, a Tleilaxu face dancer, and Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin are also among the returning actors.

Villeneuve told Time that he cast the sequel with the future of cinema in mind, arguing that Pugh, Zendaya, Chalamet and Austin Butler would become the new power in Hollywood. Pugh’s ‘Star Wars’ comparison suggests she sees the franchise in similarly lasting terms.

There is also some box office intrigue to consider. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Dune: Part Three’ will both arrive in theaters on Dec. 18. Pugh is set to appear in both, playing Yelena Belova in the Marvel film and Princess Irulan in Herbert’s universe, which makes her one of the busiest faces of the holiday season.

Whether the finale can live up to the generational status Pugh describes will be answered soon enough. For now, her comparison underlines how much the cast believes in the project, and how high expectations have climbed for a saga that has already reshaped what a big-screen sci-fi epic can look like.

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