I took it as he knew the emperor was setting him up to fail.
Dune Discussion Thread[Spoilers Allowed]
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I took it as he knew the emperor was setting him up to fail.
I got through it but I thought the direction was pretty uneven and downright bad at times.
The visuals were stunning for the most part but very conflicted. For instance, you mastered interstellar flight yet you fly around the planet in giant mosquitoes? I don't remember the novels being like that. Oh well.
I thought Dave Bautista and Jason Mamoa were horribly miscast. Or, more precisely Bautista miscast, Mamoa can't act.
Come to think of it, many of the parts seem miscast. Or it could be the direction. I guess we'll have to wait for the next movies to see.
The visuals were stunning for the most part but very conflicted. For instance, you mastered interstellar flight yet you fly around the planet in giant mosquitoes? I don't remember the novels being like that. Oh well.
I thought Dave Bautista and Jason Mamoa were horribly miscast. Or, more precisely Bautista miscast, Mamoa can't act.
Come to think of it, many of the parts seem miscast. Or it could be the direction. I guess we'll have to wait for the next movies to see.
I wish they had shown us a city and how regular people live. All they showed were the castles and wear the duke and family live.
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Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' chomps $40 million at the box office
Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic 'Dune' pulled in $40 million domestically in its opening weekend, with overseas box office pushing the worldwide total past $200 million.
The mosquitoes you're referring to are called Ornithopters in the books.
Ornithopters in Dune
In Frank Herbert's, Dune, we are first introduced to the ornithopter by the first Reverend Mother during her tests of Paul, but we don't see it in action or get any description of it until Liet Kynes meets with Duke Leto. The aircraft is described as being similar to an insect that hums softly from the jets running in their idle state, "An unmarked ornithopter squatted nearby, humming softly on standby like a somnolent insect. (Herbert)" We get more evidence to the similarities to an insect and these aircraft from Hawat's perspective among the fremen, "The captured 'thopter took off with a lurching flap of wings, angled upward to the south in a steep, wing-tucked climb." The aircraft's wings are specifically described as flapping wings paralleling that of the ornithopter. A definite description showing the design of Dune's ornithopter is when Duke Leto is trying to save a group of Fremen from a worm on Arrakis, "He broke off as the Duke kicked on the jet brakes. The ship bucked as its tail pods whispered to silence. Stub wings elongated, cupped the air. The craft became a full 'thopter as the Duke banked it, holding the wings to a gentle beat. (Herbert)" The ornithopter is described as cupping the air the same way a bird's flapping would while the wings hold a gentle beat as they flap. A characteristic of these aircraft is their ability to hover similar to a flying insect or hummingbird, "Flame streaked upward to the hovering 'thopters." The other significant description of these aircraft is their use of jet propulsion, "Paul fed more power to the jetpods. The 'thopter banked, sinking them into their seats as a dark wall lifted against the stars ahead. He gave the craft more wing, more power. Another burst of lifting wingbeats and they came out over rocks. (Herbert)" This differs from the general definition of an ornithopter, which relies solely on the flapping action to produce thrust.
The mosquitoes you're referring to are called Ornithopters in the books.
Ornithopters in Dune
In Frank Herbert's, Dune, we are first introduced to the ornithopter by the first Reverend Mother during her tests of Paul, but we don't see it in action or get any description of it until Liet Kynes meets with Duke Leto. The aircraft is described as being similar to an insect that hums softly from the jets running in their idle state, "An unmarked ornithopter squatted nearby, humming softly on standby like a somnolent insect. (Herbert)" We get more evidence to the similarities to an insect and these aircraft from Hawat's perspective among the fremen, "The captured 'thopter took off with a lurching flap of wings, angled upward to the south in a steep, wing-tucked climb." The aircraft's wings are specifically described as flapping wings paralleling that of the ornithopter. A definite description showing the design of Dune's ornithopter is when Duke Leto is trying to save a group of Fremen from a worm on Arrakis, "He broke off as the Duke kicked on the jet brakes. The ship bucked as its tail pods whispered to silence. Stub wings elongated, cupped the air. The craft became a full 'thopter as the Duke banked it, holding the wings to a gentle beat. (Herbert)" The ornithopter is described as cupping the air the same way a bird's flapping would while the wings hold a gentle beat as they flap. A characteristic of these aircraft is their ability to hover similar to a flying insect or hummingbird, "Flame streaked upward to the hovering 'thopters." The other significant description of these aircraft is their use of jet propulsion, "Paul fed more power to the jetpods. The 'thopter banked, sinking them into their seats as a dark wall lifted against the stars ahead. He gave the craft more wing, more power. Another burst of lifting wingbeats and they came out over rocks. (Herbert)" This differs from the general definition of an ornithopter, which relies solely on the flapping action to produce thrust.
Yes, know what they're called. I was in refence to their appearance, which I never imagined as a giant mosquito from Herbert's description.
In any case, that isn't the only incongruous tech in the movie, as I also said "FOR INSTANCE." That means as an example, not definitively.
Director's explanation of the Gom Jabbar scene:
PRAISE: The 1984 film version of DUNE was an ambitious ,interesting, ponderous, oddity.
Under the great direction of Denis Villeneuve and an enthusiastic and on point cast including : Timothee Chalamet, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and Charlotte Rampling This story about Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people story threads of
war,uneasy alliances, betrayal and destiny has been made more comprehensive without diluting the strengths of the story. It's enhanced by great SFX, sound and action sequences.
Visually it's a mesmerizing experience.
PROBLEMS: The film does stall at times.I wondered why the nice flow of the movie went down disruptive paths.
I was looking for more from certain characters and unfortunately I didn't get it.
In the end Villeneuve and crew left me wanting more and that's a good thing
Scale of 1 to 10 an 8
Under the great direction of Denis Villeneuve and an enthusiastic and on point cast including : Timothee Chalamet, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgård, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, and Charlotte Rampling This story about Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people story threads of
war,uneasy alliances, betrayal and destiny has been made more comprehensive without diluting the strengths of the story. It's enhanced by great SFX, sound and action sequences.
Visually it's a mesmerizing experience.
PROBLEMS: The film does stall at times.I wondered why the nice flow of the movie went down disruptive paths.
I was looking for more from certain characters and unfortunately I didn't get it.
In the end Villeneuve and crew left me wanting more and that's a good thing
Scale of 1 to 10 an 8
Those dudes with the eyebrows in it?? Lol
Watching it now on MAX. The visuals makes me want to drop $13 for the theater
This was one of the cooler aspects I enjoyed good stuff.The mosquitoes you're referring to are called Ornithopters in the books.
Ornithopters in Dune
In Frank Herbert's, Dune, we are first introduced to the ornithopter by the first Reverend Mother during her tests of Paul, but we don't see it in action or get any description of it until Liet Kynes meets with Duke Leto. The aircraft is described as being similar to an insect that hums softly from the jets running in their idle state, "An unmarked ornithopter squatted nearby, humming softly on standby like a somnolent insect. (Herbert)" We get more evidence to the similarities to an insect and these aircraft from Hawat's perspective among the fremen, "The captured 'thopter took off with a lurching flap of wings, angled upward to the south in a steep, wing-tucked climb." The aircraft's wings are specifically described as flapping wings paralleling that of the ornithopter. A definite description showing the design of Dune's ornithopter is when Duke Leto is trying to save a group of Fremen from a worm on Arrakis, "He broke off as the Duke kicked on the jet brakes. The ship bucked as its tail pods whispered to silence. Stub wings elongated, cupped the air. The craft became a full 'thopter as the Duke banked it, holding the wings to a gentle beat. (Herbert)" The ornithopter is described as cupping the air the same way a bird's flapping would while the wings hold a gentle beat as they flap. A characteristic of these aircraft is their ability to hover similar to a flying insect or hummingbird, "Flame streaked upward to the hovering 'thopters." The other significant description of these aircraft is their use of jet propulsion, "Paul fed more power to the jetpods. The 'thopter banked, sinking them into their seats as a dark wall lifted against the stars ahead. He gave the craft more wing, more power. Another burst of lifting wingbeats and they came out over rocks. (Herbert)" This differs from the general definition of an ornithopter, which relies solely on the flapping action to produce thrust.
In the books (there are many), it's pronounced the first way, but I prefer the second.
This should have been a limited series, it would have been the Galactic version of GOT, and I don't agree with some reviewers saying that you have see it in a Covid infested movie theater, my Sony 65 inch TV was fine... besides that I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to Part 2.
I highly recommend going to this channel. Quinn is a Dune and A Song of Ice and Fire fanatic. He knows alot about those two series.
Glad to see Part 2 is official.
CHAT ROOM 10:24 A.M.
Denis Villeneuve Is Looking Forward to Working With Sandworms Again in the Future
By Nate Jones@kn8
Photo: Dave Benett/Getty Images
Denis Villeneuve has been dreaming of Dune since he was a child. Growing up in Quebec, Villeneuve was obsessed with Frank Herbert’s landmark sci-fi novel, and as the filmmaker has grown into one of Hollywood’s giants of epic cinema, bringing the world of Dune to the screen became something of a dream project. Never mind the fact that Dune had become a graveyard for cinematic ambition: Alejandro Jodorowsky’s version never made it past preproduction, while David Lynch’s was an infamous critical and commercial flop. (Though it has its defenders.) For a time, it seemed like Villeneuve’s Dune might be equally cursed. Originally scheduled for the fall of 2020, the film was delayed multiple times because of, well, you know. But now his Dune is finally able to be seen, both in theaters and, to Villeneuve’s slight chagrin, HBO Max. It’s only the first half of the story, and if you want to see the second half some day, he encourages you to see it on the largest screen possible (so long as you feel safe, of course). “It’s a movie that has been designed to be as immersive as a cinematic experience as possible,” he says. “It has been made from the beginning as a love letter for the big screen.”
November 13-14: Vulture Festival outdoors at The Hollywood Roosevelt. Subscribers get 15% off.
BUY TICKETS
Before the film’s release, Vulture spoke to the very patient director about knowing when the film was done, his hopes for Dune: Part Two, and whether “Duncan Idaho” is a cool name.
(Spoiler warning: This post discusses broad elements from future Dune novels.)
My first question is a tough one: What is your favorite spice?
Definitely coffee. Because without coffee, I don’t speak English. First thing is the coffee in the morning to wake me up. It’s probably my favorite moment of the day when I switch on the coffee machine. I love anything dark and strong.
You’ve said that this Dune is your attempt to bring to life the images in your head from when you first read the book as a kid. Which images from the movie made their way from your youthful imagination intact?
I would say the stillsuit, everything involving the Fremen culture. And the Bene Gesserit. I would try to channel the image I had in my mind when I imagined them: the Reverend Mother, the Gom Jabbar scene.
Including Charlotte Rampling’s iconic veil?
It’s something that creates a religious feeling, a distance. A veil creates a beautiful mystery. And I love the way we have glimpses into Charlotte Rampling’s eyes. It makes her character even more powerful and frightening. Very Bene Gesserit–like.
One of the underlying themes in the entire Dune saga is about the idea that history is cyclical. It repeats on these thousand-year cycles. Is that something you personally ascribe to?
I’m obsessed. I think that as human beings we are bound to revisit the same things over and over, and that we have to find a way to freedom. In general, societies are facing the threat of repeating the same mistakes, and I think probably the ultimate human journey is to break those cycles.
In the novels, the ultimate answer is not very happy — the way to break the cycle is to have a giant worm ruling over everyone.
It’s a tragedy. It’s a dark, ominous book, but I think Frank Herbert wrote it as a warning. And sadly, the book became more relevant as time went by. It was very prophetic in terms of the oil in the Middle East and the political squabbling, polarization. And the blend of the very dangerous cocktail that is religion and politics.
Because of the pandemic, the movie got delayed by a year. You suddenly had more time to work on it. What sort of tinkering did you do?
When the pandemic hit, the movie was not finished. Instead of running for a release date, we walked. I took part of that year to finesse, to make sure that everything was according to my dream. We were working a lot on the sound. Now the movie has been finished for several months. But still, I love the fact that the studio said, “Take your time.”
After you’d gotten that extended grace period, was it hard to then put the movie to bed and say, “This is it, I’m done”?
That’s not the way it works: I don’t decide; the movie decides. It’s very weird. You wake up in the morning and you try to make a new cut, and the movie bites you. There’s a certain moment where, it’s not that the movie is perfect, it’s that the movie is finished. The movie can walk by itself. It’s alive now.
I want to talk about two stylistic elements that mark your Dune as different from versions that have come before. The first one is the sandworms. On the cover of the book and in the Lynch version, the sandworms have these three jaws. In your version, the sandworms are gigantic gaping holes.
I kept saying to Patrice Vermette, my production designer, “I want the worm to be like a prehistoric creature, something that has been living and evolving for 100,000 years.” We needed a beast that can survive a harsh and brutal environment. We were thinking about how thick the skin should be, how the mouth should close to travel in the sand. But more important, we were talking about, how does it feed? We had the idea that it would be a bit like a whale: It would need some kind of filter system to be able to capture nutrients in the sand — this idea of the baleen. I fell deeply in love. It’s an anatomic detail that’s very grounded in the world and in the ecosystem. And it also allowed me to create this idea that when you look into a worm’s mouth, it looks like an eye. It has this feeling of the presence of a god.
The other thing is the Harkonnens, who in your version are all pale and bald, like a villainous Humpty Dumpty.
The description in the book is that the Harkonnens were coming from a world totally disconnected from nature. They have destroyed the ecosystem of their planet. Their planet would be a plastic planet, where the atmospheric pollution would be so high that these guys would be living without almost any sunlight. They would be very pale, closer to vampires.
So both of them were shaped by their environments. How were you, Denis Villeneuve, shaped by your environment?
First of all, I was born by the St. Lawrence River, which was very wide near my village. And so I was born with the horizon. I was born with skies; melancholic skies that are bigger than us. That sky brought a lot of humility. And I was born in a place where there were two permanent buildings: the church and the nuclear power plant. Those were the two forces that I dealt with in my life, religion and science. And both were linked with faith. The idea that I had to trust engineers, and I had to trust the priest. [Laughs.] Both were initiating some fear, you know? I was born from that contrast.
Help me settle a debate: Is “Duncan Idaho” a cool name?
Personally, I deeply love it. I love that Frank Herbert gives hints of Earth culture. You have links with the Catholic religion, or Middle Eastern cultural elements. They are hints that these people were coming from Earth, and then they expanded into the galaxy. And “Duncan Idaho” roots it to Earth. So personally, I don’t know what your position on it is, but I love it. I think it’s the best.
At the moment, it seems like Dune: Part Two is possibly going to happen, but it’s still up in the air. Is that the right read on the current status?
I cannot talk about the current status. But I’m very optimistic. It’s getting great reviews, and Warner Bros. and Legendary love the movie. Everybody is wishing to make a second one. If there’s enough enthusiasm at the box office, it will happen. [Note: This interview was published before Dune: Part Two was officially greenlit.]
If you do get to make the second one, which sequence from the second half of the book are you most excited to shoot?
The thing about Dune was, it was the first movie that every day was a challenge. I was waking up excited every day about what I was about to shoot. It’s a book that I could pore into the details of. Each scene had something that excites me, and I will say the same about the second one. But I mean, there are some scenes involving worms that I can’t wait to shoot.
Speaking of worms, the protagonist of the fourth book, God Emperor of Dune, is a 3,000-year-old human-sandworm hybrid who rules the galaxy with an iron fist. Hypothetically, in the best-case scenario — in which Dune becomes a cinematic sensation and they let you do the whole series — do you make the human-sandworm hybrid practical effects, or do you use CGI?
That’s a tricky question. I go one movie at a time. Making the first one took all my stamina, my energy, and my creativity. And my dream would be to make a Dune part one and two. And maybe there’s another possibility to make Dune Messiah, because I think that Messiah could be a fantastic movie. That’s already a lot of work, so I don’t allow myself to think further than that. But yeah, just the thought of designing that creature is daunting. But you know what? If ever I have to face that challenge, it means that life is fantastic.
Denis Villeneuve Is Looking Forward to Working With Sandworms Again in the Future
By Nate Jones@kn8
Photo: Dave Benett/Getty Images
Denis Villeneuve has been dreaming of Dune since he was a child. Growing up in Quebec, Villeneuve was obsessed with Frank Herbert’s landmark sci-fi novel, and as the filmmaker has grown into one of Hollywood’s giants of epic cinema, bringing the world of Dune to the screen became something of a dream project. Never mind the fact that Dune had become a graveyard for cinematic ambition: Alejandro Jodorowsky’s version never made it past preproduction, while David Lynch’s was an infamous critical and commercial flop. (Though it has its defenders.) For a time, it seemed like Villeneuve’s Dune might be equally cursed. Originally scheduled for the fall of 2020, the film was delayed multiple times because of, well, you know. But now his Dune is finally able to be seen, both in theaters and, to Villeneuve’s slight chagrin, HBO Max. It’s only the first half of the story, and if you want to see the second half some day, he encourages you to see it on the largest screen possible (so long as you feel safe, of course). “It’s a movie that has been designed to be as immersive as a cinematic experience as possible,” he says. “It has been made from the beginning as a love letter for the big screen.”
November 13-14: Vulture Festival outdoors at The Hollywood Roosevelt. Subscribers get 15% off.
BUY TICKETS
Before the film’s release, Vulture spoke to the very patient director about knowing when the film was done, his hopes for Dune: Part Two, and whether “Duncan Idaho” is a cool name.
(Spoiler warning: This post discusses broad elements from future Dune novels.)
My first question is a tough one: What is your favorite spice?
Definitely coffee. Because without coffee, I don’t speak English. First thing is the coffee in the morning to wake me up. It’s probably my favorite moment of the day when I switch on the coffee machine. I love anything dark and strong.
You’ve said that this Dune is your attempt to bring to life the images in your head from when you first read the book as a kid. Which images from the movie made their way from your youthful imagination intact?
I would say the stillsuit, everything involving the Fremen culture. And the Bene Gesserit. I would try to channel the image I had in my mind when I imagined them: the Reverend Mother, the Gom Jabbar scene.
Including Charlotte Rampling’s iconic veil?
It’s something that creates a religious feeling, a distance. A veil creates a beautiful mystery. And I love the way we have glimpses into Charlotte Rampling’s eyes. It makes her character even more powerful and frightening. Very Bene Gesserit–like.
One of the underlying themes in the entire Dune saga is about the idea that history is cyclical. It repeats on these thousand-year cycles. Is that something you personally ascribe to?
I’m obsessed. I think that as human beings we are bound to revisit the same things over and over, and that we have to find a way to freedom. In general, societies are facing the threat of repeating the same mistakes, and I think probably the ultimate human journey is to break those cycles.
In the novels, the ultimate answer is not very happy — the way to break the cycle is to have a giant worm ruling over everyone.
It’s a tragedy. It’s a dark, ominous book, but I think Frank Herbert wrote it as a warning. And sadly, the book became more relevant as time went by. It was very prophetic in terms of the oil in the Middle East and the political squabbling, polarization. And the blend of the very dangerous cocktail that is religion and politics.
Because of the pandemic, the movie got delayed by a year. You suddenly had more time to work on it. What sort of tinkering did you do?
When the pandemic hit, the movie was not finished. Instead of running for a release date, we walked. I took part of that year to finesse, to make sure that everything was according to my dream. We were working a lot on the sound. Now the movie has been finished for several months. But still, I love the fact that the studio said, “Take your time.”
After you’d gotten that extended grace period, was it hard to then put the movie to bed and say, “This is it, I’m done”?
That’s not the way it works: I don’t decide; the movie decides. It’s very weird. You wake up in the morning and you try to make a new cut, and the movie bites you. There’s a certain moment where, it’s not that the movie is perfect, it’s that the movie is finished. The movie can walk by itself. It’s alive now.
I want to talk about two stylistic elements that mark your Dune as different from versions that have come before. The first one is the sandworms. On the cover of the book and in the Lynch version, the sandworms have these three jaws. In your version, the sandworms are gigantic gaping holes.
I kept saying to Patrice Vermette, my production designer, “I want the worm to be like a prehistoric creature, something that has been living and evolving for 100,000 years.” We needed a beast that can survive a harsh and brutal environment. We were thinking about how thick the skin should be, how the mouth should close to travel in the sand. But more important, we were talking about, how does it feed? We had the idea that it would be a bit like a whale: It would need some kind of filter system to be able to capture nutrients in the sand — this idea of the baleen. I fell deeply in love. It’s an anatomic detail that’s very grounded in the world and in the ecosystem. And it also allowed me to create this idea that when you look into a worm’s mouth, it looks like an eye. It has this feeling of the presence of a god.
The other thing is the Harkonnens, who in your version are all pale and bald, like a villainous Humpty Dumpty.
The description in the book is that the Harkonnens were coming from a world totally disconnected from nature. They have destroyed the ecosystem of their planet. Their planet would be a plastic planet, where the atmospheric pollution would be so high that these guys would be living without almost any sunlight. They would be very pale, closer to vampires.
So both of them were shaped by their environments. How were you, Denis Villeneuve, shaped by your environment?
First of all, I was born by the St. Lawrence River, which was very wide near my village. And so I was born with the horizon. I was born with skies; melancholic skies that are bigger than us. That sky brought a lot of humility. And I was born in a place where there were two permanent buildings: the church and the nuclear power plant. Those were the two forces that I dealt with in my life, religion and science. And both were linked with faith. The idea that I had to trust engineers, and I had to trust the priest. [Laughs.] Both were initiating some fear, you know? I was born from that contrast.
Help me settle a debate: Is “Duncan Idaho” a cool name?
Personally, I deeply love it. I love that Frank Herbert gives hints of Earth culture. You have links with the Catholic religion, or Middle Eastern cultural elements. They are hints that these people were coming from Earth, and then they expanded into the galaxy. And “Duncan Idaho” roots it to Earth. So personally, I don’t know what your position on it is, but I love it. I think it’s the best.
At the moment, it seems like Dune: Part Two is possibly going to happen, but it’s still up in the air. Is that the right read on the current status?
I cannot talk about the current status. But I’m very optimistic. It’s getting great reviews, and Warner Bros. and Legendary love the movie. Everybody is wishing to make a second one. If there’s enough enthusiasm at the box office, it will happen. [Note: This interview was published before Dune: Part Two was officially greenlit.]
If you do get to make the second one, which sequence from the second half of the book are you most excited to shoot?
The thing about Dune was, it was the first movie that every day was a challenge. I was waking up excited every day about what I was about to shoot. It’s a book that I could pore into the details of. Each scene had something that excites me, and I will say the same about the second one. But I mean, there are some scenes involving worms that I can’t wait to shoot.
Speaking of worms, the protagonist of the fourth book, God Emperor of Dune, is a 3,000-year-old human-sandworm hybrid who rules the galaxy with an iron fist. Hypothetically, in the best-case scenario — in which Dune becomes a cinematic sensation and they let you do the whole series — do you make the human-sandworm hybrid practical effects, or do you use CGI?
That’s a tricky question. I go one movie at a time. Making the first one took all my stamina, my energy, and my creativity. And my dream would be to make a Dune part one and two. And maybe there’s another possibility to make Dune Messiah, because I think that Messiah could be a fantastic movie. That’s already a lot of work, so I don’t allow myself to think further than that. But yeah, just the thought of designing that creature is daunting. But you know what? If ever I have to face that challenge, it means that life is fantastic.
5 things we can't wait to see in 'Dune: Part Two'
From Feyd-Rautha to the rise of a new Reverend Mother, here's what we're excited to see in 'Dune: Part Two.'
Five things we can't wait to see in Dune: Part Two
From Feyd-Rautha to the rise of a new Reverend Mother, here's what excites us about a sequel to Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi adaptation.
By Christian HolubOctober 26, 2021 at 04:54 PM EDT
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Dune (2021 movie)
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Warning: This article contains spoilers for Dune.
For all the majesty and grandeur of Denis Villeneuve's new Dune film, it only adapts the first half of Frank Herbert's original 1965 novel. The subtitle Part One seen on the opening title card necessarily suggests the possibility of a Part Two — and on Tuesday, Legendary confirmed that such a sequel is indeed coming.
We can barely contain our excitement about what a second film might include, so we've put together a list of things we can't wait to to see in the next Dune. Caution: Though we'll avoid revealing major plot points, there are still mild spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn't read all of Herbert's Dune.
Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) glimpses a possible future for himself and Chani (Zendaya) in 'Dune'
| CREDIT: WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Desert power
Despite being heavily featured in the film's marketing, Zendaya was only on the set of Dune for a week, and her character, Chani, has correspondingly limited screen time. Though the Fremen — the desert-dwelling native population of Arrakis that includes Chani — are one of the most important and iconic elements of Dune, they only really come into the foreground in the second half of the story. Villeneuve's film ends with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), becoming part of the Fremen community following the destruction of House Atreides.
The second film, if it follows Herbert's book, will show us what it's like to live in the Fremen communities called "sietches" and how Paul goes about cultivating the "desert power" that was so desperately sought by his father, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac). We get a little tease of this at the end of the film, when Paul and Chani spot another Fremen riding a sandworm across the desert. Paul's learning to ride a worm himself is one of the greatest moments in the novel, and one of the principal joys of Dune: Part Two will be seeing Villeneuve, Chalamet, and their collaborators bring that to life. But Paul won't be the only one learning new things among the Fremen…
Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) as she appears in a vision of the future in 'Dune'
| CREDIT: WARNER BROS. PICTURES
Even more of a mother
Paul has already seen some of what awaits his mother in his spice visions. These inform him that Lady Jessica is pregnant again, a secret she thought was closely guarded. Is it a spoiler to say that Jessica's pregnancy does indeed come to fruition in the second half of Dune? But the birth of Paul's sister Alia (seen briefly as a baby in one of those aforementioned visions) is affected by something else that happens to Jessica among the Fremen.
Jessica was trained in the ways of the Bene Gesserit by Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling), but the Fremen have their own version of this tradition. Upon the death of their Reverend Mother, Jessica is chosen to ascend to the position — and thanks to the spice melange found so abundantly in the Fremen desert, finds herself empowered with the memories of every Reverend Mother who came before her.
Those who enjoyed Ferguson's performance in Dune should be excited for her opportunity to play even more interesting beats in the second movie. The actress has already been preparing, telling EW that "I studied [Rampling's] walk, her speech, because I know what's coming later on, and it would be nice to pay homage."
Who is the anti-Chalamet?
Stellan Skarsgård and Dave Bautista star as Dune's terrifying black-clad villains, the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and his nephew Glossu Rabban. But there's one Harkonnen who hasn't yet appeared on screen: Feyd-Rautha, the Baron's other nephew. Like Paul Atreides, Feyd-Rautha is a talented and charismatic young scion of a great house. The Baron sees him as the future of House Harkonnen. In fact, the reason he tells Rabban to "squeeze" the population of Arrakis after retaking it from House Atreides is because he wants popular opinion to turn against Rabban, so that Feyd-Rautha can be brought in as a replacement and look like a charming savior in comparison. In other words, Feyd-Rautha is Paul's dark mirror image. Who, then, should be cast in the role opposite Chalamet?
Shortly after the news of Dune: Part Two broke, a mysterious emoji tweet from Eternals star Barry Keoghan was widely received as a tease that he might be playing Feyd-Rautha. (EW has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.) Though the tweet is probably just telling people not to spoil Chloe Zhao's twisty new Marvel film, the more we think about the possibility of a Keoghan casting, the more sense it makes: As seen in Eternals and The Green Knight earlier this year, Keoghan can play devilishly charming characters with a sinister undertone.
David Lynch's 1984 Dune film cast Sting as Feyd-Rautha. If Villeneuve and company wanted to continue on the pop star route, Harry Styles feels like a natural successor. Who wouldn't line up outside the theater to see Chalamet and Styles go toe-to-toe? But if the musician is too busy with other forthcoming franchise entanglements, another candidate for Feyd-Rautha could be Lucas Hedges. Maybe it's just us, but wouldn't it be fun to see the Lady Bird boyfriends do battle in a sci-fi environment? Especially since fellow Lady Bird alum Stephen McKinley Henderson will already be on hand. Speaking of which…
Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), and Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson) await the Emperor's herald in 'Dune'
| CREDIT: WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURES
Mentat machinations
Henderson plays Thufir Hawat, House Atreides' loyal Mentat — one of the humans specially trained in advanced computational skills as a replacement for the artificial intelligence that was destroyed in the conflict known as the Butlerian Jihad. Due to the sheer amount of characters and plot points that had to be packed into Dune, the film didn't get to spend a ton of time with Hawat, but he's a major part of the book. Reputed as one of the most powerful and deadly Mentats in the galaxy, Hawat survives the Harkonnen onslaught but ends up very confused by the whole thing.
After all, Mentats live according to logic, and logic tells him that a Suk doctor like Dr. Yueh (Chang Chen) could never betray his masters. As a result, in Herbert's novel Hawat suspects that Lady Jessica must be the real traitor who caused the Atreides downfall, since he never trusted the Bene Gesserit in the first place. This leads him into strange places; without revealing exactly where he ends up, Hawat's journey will give a great actor like Henderson a lot more to do in the next Dune installment.
Meet the royals
The reason House Atreides takes over stewardship of the planet Arrakis from House Harkonnen at the beginning of Dune is because they are ordered to by Shaddam IV of House Corrino, the Padishah Emperor, who rules over the galaxy and controls the elite soldiers known as Sardaukar. Neither Shaddam nor his daughter, Princess Irulan, appear in the Dune film, which makes sense: Though they are name-checked frequently throughout Herbert's novel, they don't actually appear until the final act. Like Feyd-Rautha, this presents quite an opportunity for dream casting.
Who should play the Emperor? Charles Dance comes to mind if the Dune films want to fully embrace the influence Herbert had on Game of Thrones (House Corrino even uses a golden lion as its coat of arms, much like House Lannister). Kenneth Branagh could also bring some Shakespearean gravitas to the role of the galaxy's ruler.
As for Irulan, she's basically the opposite of Chani in the same way Feyd-Rautha is the anti-Paul. So who might be a match for Zendaya? Saoirse Ronan always has great chemistry with Chalamet, though perhaps we should restrain ourselves from making this a full-on Lady Bird reunion. Alternatively, Anya Taylor-Joy has proven adept at playing women who are more than they appear.
That's just off the top of our heads, though; Villeneuve and company have proven they know what they're doing when it comes to casting. In any case, watching Chalamet's Paul finally confront the royal family responsible for his family's slaughter should be immensely satisfying.
Dune: Part Two is slated to hit theaters Oct. 20, 2023.
It's China, no surprise.
All black characters with speaking parts died in the movie anyway.
But China completely removes any black characters from all advertising.
I think they did this with John Boyega
Hollywood keeps bending a knee to that fucking country
*Chinese trailer announcer* DUN-AHH.It's China, no surprise.
All black characters with speaking parts died in the movie anyway.
But China completely removes any black characters from all advertising.
I think they did this with John Boyega
Zendaya attends the "Dune" screening at Le Grand Rex on Sept. 6, 2021, in Paris, France. (Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)
Dune without the inner monologues is not Dune. This could have easily been one of the best sci-fi movies of our generation but it ended up being a C minus. As a fan, I could follow the unspoken communications between the characters but my wife who is not a fan was lost af. Also, a cliffhanger ending for the first movie is dumb as fuck. They also really didn't do a good job of introducing all of the factions, the politics, and the lore. There is so much shit that is missed that I hate they even did a movie and not a TV series. The first movie is leaps and bounds better (absent special effects) and the SciFi tv channel 2nd/3rd movie is the canon that I follow. Hopefully, they do better on the sequel if a sequel ever gets released.
Edit: They really mishandled concepts like using sound as a weapon or folding space. They act like they didn't have anyone that understood Dune on the set or they completely ignored them.
Edit: They really mishandled concepts like using sound as a weapon or folding space. They act like they didn't have anyone that understood Dune on the set or they completely ignored them.
Totally agree!
Like I stated earlier this movie really is hoping you watched the previous ones so you can appreciate the genius of Villeneuve...
The wife didn't understand that the slow blade pierces the shield. She was like their shields are sorry. So many missed opportunities. They didn't explain the human computers, why real computers were banned. The physician's conditioning, etc. The more I think about it, the more it pisses me off.
Totally agree!
Like I stated earlier this movie really is hoping you watched the previous ones so you can appreciate the genius of Villeneuve...
I partially got the challenge, because its a trope you see a lot in scifi.
"Challenge the leader and win then YOU become the leader" - As in Mirror Universe Star Trek, Chronicles of Riddick etc
lol, Chronicles of Riddick - 'You keep what you kill'
But, why didn't Jamis challenge Stilgar, but instead choose Paul. I didn't get that part.
And nah, I didn't care for the raving part either.
On my 3rd rewatch it hit me how horrible the dream/vision sequence was handled.
The Jamis challenge would have been powerful if there was better explanation of the nature of his dreams and the different paths his life could take.