Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Dune
Dune 2 could fix one key Paul mistake from the book. The original Dune novel, written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965, is a sophisticated work which intricately balances complex world-building with intriguing plot. One way Herbert accomplishes this is through excerpts about Paul/Muad'Dib from historical texts within the Dune universe written by the Princess Irulan, who is revealed to be the daughter of Emperor Shaddam IV. At the end of the novel, Irulan appears in person and marries Paul as a condition of the Emperor's surrender and abdication. It's a highly significant part of the story, but Irulan's introduction and subsequent marriage to the book's protagonist does feel a little rushed.
The character has also presented a challenge to adapt onscreen as highlighted in David Lynch's 1984 Dune which features her awkwardly introducing the story, but then she is never seen again as the movie cuts out the marriage at the end. The 2000 miniseries, Frank Herbert's Dune, takes the opposite approach, introducing Irulan early on and then adding scenes of the princess investigating her father's treacherous alliance with the Harkonnens throughout. Her scenes don't necessarily contribute much to the plot, but they do serve to familiarize the audience with the likeable Irulan so that when she turns up at the end to marry Paul, viewers know who she is and care that it's happening. Irulan does not appear and isn't mentioned by name in the 2021 Dune movie, but Paul briefly expresses his plans to marry one of the Emperor's daughters, implying that she will make an appearance in the sequel.
This presents a unique opportunity for Dune part 2 to fix the past mistakes with Paul and Irulan's marriage. She is an important character who needs to be introduced in some way before the final marriage scene, but she also shouldn't necessarily be a focal point for the audience that distracts from Paul's primary plot. Introducing her into Dune 2 could strike the perfect balance and finally create an Irulan character who feels like an organic fit for the epic sci-fi story.
The problem with the previous Dune adaptations' handling of Irulan is that they both went too far in different directions with the character. The 1984 film basically drops her altogether, thereby making Paul's plan to become Emperor incomplete. The 2000 adaptation overuses Irulan, creating a flirtatious tension between her and Paul before he even meets Chani's Dune character. This forms something of a love triangle in the background of the story which distracts from the main plot and potentially skews Paul's motivations at the end.
Dune 2021 doesn't show Irulan, but it also doesn't show the Emperor, opting to only mention him and his vast influence through dialogue. It seems as though the movie deliberately shrouds the Emperor and his family in mystery which fits with the complex scheme he contrives with the Harkonnens. It also leaves the perfect opportunity to introduce both the Emperor and Irulan into the second movie organically, giving the audience a chance to get familiar with them, but not distract from the main events on Arrakis. If the sequel does introduce Irulan and find the right balance of screen time for her, then Denis Villeneuve's Dune could finally fix a problem that dates all the way back to the original 1965 novel.
The 2021 Dune movie has the opportunity to correct significant character mismanagement, and the first installment of Villeneuve's adaptation can leave audiences very optimistic. Although it still deviates somewhat from the source material, many would argue that the film is far and away the most effective adaptation to date, both through its world-building and character representations. Viewers can hope that the trend continues, and that characters like Irulan will also get a proper representation in Dune 2.
