With the onset of the latest promotional campaign for Dune Part Two, fan anticipation has skyrocketed. This article explores the trailer in detail to deduce what awaits the audience, including surprises, twists, and unforeseen revelations.
So let’s delve into the intriguing elements and surprises we identified in the official trailer for Dune Part Two.
Christopher Walken’s Debut as The Emperor
The Emperor of the Known Universe was conspicuously absent in the inaugural Dune film, a stark divergence from Frank Herbert’s original book series Dune and the 1980’s adaptation by Lynch. This reluctance to feature the primary adversary of Paul Atreides and his Fremen followers in the first Dune installment might have been a strategic move to pique fan curiosity.
It’s common knowledge among Dune enthusiasts that the initial introduction and explanation of Dune is delivered by the Emperor’s daughter in both the book and Lynch’s adaptation, portrayed by Virginia Madsen. This opens up an engaging conundrum for the audience: when will the Emperor’s daughter emerge, and will she act as both a love interest and political adversary for Paul, who is now referred to as “Muad’Dib”, as in Herbert’s series?
Chani Assumes the Role of Warrior Queen
The 1980’s adaptation presented Chani as a fierce yet perplexed princess of the Fremen. Initially wary, Chani eventually falls for Paul Atreidis, and even inspires him to adopt the name “Muad’Dib”, thought by many fans to translate to ‘Messiah’ in Fremen. The 2000’s Sci-Fi Dune rectified this misconception, clarifying that a “Muad’Dib” is a resilient, endearing member of the Rodentia species that flourishes alongside sand worms on the desert moon of Arakkis.
The Sci-Fi’s Dune version portrayed Chani as a hesitant war leader supporting her partner, but in the new Dune 2 trailer, Chani (portrayed by the phenomenal Zendaya) takes charge against the invading Harkonnen, cutting down enemies with ruthless precision as Paul looks on, slightly awestruck. This strong, decisive, and assertive Chani is the authentic character from Herbert’s Dune series that fans have eagerly anticipated for over forty years.
Feyd Rautha Makes His Appearance
Mirroring the second act of Lynch’s original Dune, Feyd, the homicidal sibling of psychopathic Rabban (Dave Bautista), enters the scene. Previously portrayed by Sting, Feyd’s debut in the Dune 2 trailer introduces Rabban’s younger brother as an eerie, bald, eccentric knife-wielder.
Though Herbert’s original Dune depicted Feyd and Rabban as having thick, unkempt, copper-hued hair, all the villains in this adaptation are bald, from Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) to his depraved progeny Rabban (Bautista) and the newly introduced Feyd (Austin Bulter).
A Fresh Take on Dune
Four decades ago, David Lynch helmed the first Dune. Lynch’s Dune, while omitting the extended 80-plus page desert trek, also overlooked the rich social norms of Arakkis – such as the quasi-religious reverence for water conservation, as demonstrated in the fountain scene where Fremen are forced to scrabble for damp, discarded napkins in their bid to procure and conserve water. This detail was absent in the most recent Dune.
Two decades ago, The Sci-Fi Channel (prior to rebranding as ‘Syfy’) launched Frank Herbert’s Dune. This rendition offered audiences a more accurate depiction of Dune’s universe while simultaneously scrutinizing the House Harkonnen hierarchy in an attempt to truly capture Herbert’s vision and create a deeper, visually striking interpretation of the franchise.
Anticipating Dune 2
Unexpected elements could continue to astonish audiences in Dune 2, just as they did in the first film. For example, the initial Dune featured a gigantic black spider with human hands and a human face. This unsettling, eerie, and repugnant creature does not appear in any previous film or series.
The mutant spider-man is introduced in Dune, only to be dismissed once a key character states that the creature is harmless. Fans were left puzzled, wondering what the purpose was. The only plausible explanation could be an insider joke or veiled criticism of Marvel’s beloved Spider-Man, given the concurrent release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), and shortly after Miles Morales’ debut in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).
Therefore, Dune 2 could surprise newcomers and long-term fans alike with novel material (such as an inexplicable man-spider) not seen in the 1984 adaptation, the 2000s version, or even the original book series. Is this exciting? Possibly. Does it cause apprehension among the series’ die-hard fans? Certainly.
Conspicuously absent from the trailer was Alia Atreides, Paul “Muad’Dib”s sister, a character whose debut is eagerly anticipated by fans. Originally portrayed by Alicia Witt in Lynch’s 1984 adaptation, Alia, the result of Bene Gesserit’s (/ˈbɛniː ˈdʒɛsərɪt/) genetic manipulation, is bound to bring about (spoilers!) the demise of Baron Harkonnen himself.
Therefore, fans of the original 1984 film, Sci-Fi’s 2000s run, and the 60s book series by Herbert should keep an open mind. From the character of Doctor Liet-Kynes – originally played by Max Von Sydow, a white man, and now portrayed by the formidable Sharon Duncan-Brewster, a woman of color – devoted fans of the Dune series should, without doubt, prepare for the unexpected.
