Deadline has reported that in the pre-production stages of Dune: Part Two, Austin Butler has been eyed to join the cast and portray Feyd-Rautha, the evil nephew of Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, a significant role in the sequel. Florence Pugh is also in talks with the studio to star in the film as Princess Irulan, the royal daughter of the Emperor.

Although Dune released day-and-date in theaters and on HBO Max, the film still earned $41 million in its opening weekend and swept the Oscar nominations with ten nominations, including Best Picture. Director Denis Villeneuve, Warner Bros., and Legendary confirmed the sequel shortly after its release, and its success was undeniable.

This is a big year for Butler with the premiere of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic and Butler’s biggest role to date as Elvis himself. The film is set to release on June 24. He has also previously appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, The Dead Don’t Die, and is currently filming Masters of the Air, a TV mini-series for Apple TV+.

Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, and Dave Bautista are among the returning cast, and Villeneuve is returning as director, producer, and co-screenwriter.

Dune: Part Two is expected to start filming this summer for an October 2023 release.