Deadline reports that Souheila Yacoub is the latest addition to the cast of Denis Villeneuve's Dune Part Two. She now joins a star-studded ensemble that includes returning actors Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, and Josh Brolin.
In terms of the other new additions, Yacoub joins Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, and Austin Butler. The trade has also confirmed that the Swiss actor will play Shishakli, who was a Fremen from Sietch Tabr during the time of Paul Atreides.
When the time came for Paul's sandrider trial, Shishakli gave him his own maker hooks to use, since Paul did not have any of his own. Previously portrayed by a man, the character is being gender-swapped here, though we're certainly not going to complain about the franchise gaining another badass female warrior.
Villeneuve returns to write, direct and produce the Dune sequel and penned the screenplay alongside Jon Spaihts. That 2021 blockbuster was released in theaters the same day it arrived on HBO Max, but even that didn't stop it from grossing over $400 million at the worldwide box office. It also earned 10 Oscar nominations and ultimately won 6 of them.
As for Yacoub, she was most recently seen in Gaspar Noé's Climax. Other credits include Yassine Qnia's De Bas Etages and Anaïs Volpé's The Braves, both of which were all selected at the Cannes Film Festival. She also starred in the Hulu series No Man's Land directed by Oded Ruskin.
This could be her big break in terms of starring in a commercial blockbuster, and we're excited to see what she brings to the table as Shishakli.
Dune: Part Two is set to be released in theaters on November 17, 2023.
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