Shocking Surprises in the New Trailer
In anticipation of the highly anticipated Dune: Part Two advertising campaign, we delve deep into the trailer to uncover the surprises that await fans. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of everything that caught our attention in the official Dune: Part Two Trailer.
The Emperor’s Surprising Emergence:
One notable absence in the first Dune was the Emperor of the Known Universe, which contradicted Frank Herbert’s original book series and Lynch’s 80s film adaptation. The decision to exclude the main obstacle to Paul Atreides and the Fremen disciples may have been a deliberate ploy to pique fan interest. In both the published book and Lynch’s version, the Emperor’s daughter plays a crucial role in introducing and explaining Dune. This raises intriguing questions about when the Emperor’s daughter will make her appearance and whether she will serve as a romantic and political foil for Paul, now known as “Muad’Dib,” as depicted in Herbert’s book series.
Chani Takes Charge as the Warrior Queen:
In the 80s Dune, Chani was portrayed as a strong yet bewildered princess from the Fremen. Initially mistrustful, she eventually falls in love with Paul Atreides and inspires him to adopt the title “Muad’Dib,” believed by many fans to mean “Messiah” in Fremen. The 2000s Sci-Fi version of Dune clarified this misconception, revealing that a “Muad’Dib” is actually a resourceful and spirited creature belonging to the Rodentia species that coexists with sand worms on the desert moon of Arakkis. While Sci-Fi’s Dune portrayed Chani as a reluctant war leader standing by Paul’s side, the new Dune 2 trailer showcases a powerful, decisive, and aggressive Chani, now brilliantly portrayed by Zendaya. She leads the charge against the invading Harkonnen, mercilessly cutting through enemies as sand flies and leaving Paul slightly dumbfounded. This portrayal captures the true essence of Chani from Herbert’s Dune series, a character fans have eagerly awaited for over four decades.
The Arrival of Feyd Rautha:
Similar to Lynch’s original Dune, the new Dune 2 trailer introduces Feyd, the homicidal brother of the psychopathic Rabban, in the second act. While Herbert’s original Dune described Feyd and Rabban with copper-colored, thick, messy hair, the villains in this adaptation are bald. From Baron Vladimir Harkonnen to his twisted offspring Rabban and the newly introduced Feyd, the absence of hair unifies these antagonists. Feyd’s appearance in the trailer portrays him as a mischievous, bald, and eerie knife-wielder, deviating from his previous portrayal by Sting.
A New Take on Dune:
Forty years ago, David Lynch directed the first Dune film, which omitted the extensive desert walking scenes found in the book. However, Lynch’s adaptation failed to capture the intricate social norms of Arakkis, such as the quasi-religious reverence for water conservation depicted in a memorable fountain scene. Fremen were compelled to scrounge for moist, discarded napkins in their relentless pursuit of water. This element was absent in the most recent Dune adaptation. Twenty years ago, the Sci-Fi Channel released Frank Herbert’s Dune, offering fans a more faithful representation of the Dune universe. The production aimed to bring Herbert’s written material to life and present a visually captivating interpretation of the franchise, while also challenging the House Harkonnen hierarchy.
What Awaits Fans in Dune 2:
Fans of Dune may be surprised by the inclusion of non-canonical elements in Dune 2, much like the first film. Notably, the first Dune featured a gigantic black spider with human hands and a human face, a disconcerting creature unrelated to any previous installment in the series. This mutant spider-man appeared in Dune only to be dismissed as harmless by a central character, leaving fans puzzled. One plausible explanation is that this could be a producer’s inside joke or a subtle critique of Marvel’s beloved web-slinger, considering the release of Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home around the same time. Dune 2 may continue to surprise both new enthusiasts and long-time fans with fresh and unexpected elements, such as the enigmatic man-spider, absent from the 1984 version, the 2000s adaptation, and the book series itself. This prospect is undeniably exciting but may also evoke trepidation among devoted series enthusiasts.
Missing from the Trailer:
One notable absence in the trailer is the emergence of Alia Atreides, Paul “Muad’Dib”‘s sister. Portrayed by Alicia Witt in Lynch’s 1984 version, Alia is the result of genetic manipulation by the Bene Gesserit. Her presence will inevitably lead to the demise of Baron Harkonnen himself. Fans eagerly anticipate Alia’s portrayal in Dune 2.
In conclusion, fans of the original 1984 version, the 2000s adaptation, and Herbert’s book series should approach Dune 2 with an open mind. From the casting of Sharon Duncan-Brewster, a woman of color, as Doctor Liet-Kynes, originally played by Max Von Sydow, a white man, to the inclusion of unexpected elements, Dune 2 promises to surprise and captivate audiences.
As the new advertising campaign for Dune: Part Two has fans salivating, we take an in-depth look at the trailer to discern what fans can expect, what they’ll never expect, and what they’ll never see coming.
Here’s everything we noticed that surprised us in the official Dune: Part Two Trailer.
Christopher Walken Emerges as The Emperor
The absence of the Emperor of the Known Universe in the first Dune was a direct contradiction to both Frank Herbert’s original book series Dune as well as Lynch’s eighties version of the film. The reason for the reluctance to include the main obstacle to Paul Atreides and his Fremen disciples in the first Dune could have been to garner fan interest.
Many fans know that Dune is first introduced and explained by the Emperor’s daughter in the published book, as well as Lynch’s version, played by Virginia Madsen. It brings up an interesting quandary for fans: when will the Emperor’s daughter make her appearance, and will this prove a romantic and political foil for Paul – now known as “Muad’Dib” – as it did in Herbert’s book series?
Chani Takes the Lead as Warrior Queen
The 80s Dune presented Chani as a strong but baffled princess that hailed from the Fremen. Mistrustful at first, Chani grows to love Paul Atreidis and even gives him the idea of taking the mantle “Muad’Dib,” which many fans believe is the Fremen’s word for ‘Messiah.’ The 2000s Sci-Fi version of Dune corrected this misnomer – making it clear that a “Muad’Dib” is a resourceful, cute, and plucky member of the Rodentia species that thrives alongside sand worms on the desert moon of Arakkis.
While Sci-Fi’s Dune presented Chani as a reluctant war leader standing beside her man, the new Dune 2 trailer sees Chani (now played by the incredibly talented Zendaya) taking the lead against the invading Harkonnen, slicing through enemies ruthlessly while sand flies and Paul is left appearing slightly dumbstruck. This new, powerful, decisive, and aggressive Chani is the true character from Herbert’s Dune series – one that fans have been waiting for over four decades to see.
The Appearance of Feyd Rautha
As occurred in the second act of Lynch’s original Dunethe homicidal brother to psychopathic Rabban (Dave Bautista), Feyd, makes his first appearance. Originally played by Sting, Feyd’s appearance in the new Dune 2 trailer presents the younger brother of Bautista’s Rabban as an impish, bald, freaky knife-wielder.
This is fine, and although Herbert’s original Dune presented Feyd and Rabban as sporting copper-colored, thick messy hair – the bad guys here are all bald, from Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) to his twisted offspring Rabban (Bautista) and the newly introduced Feyd (Austin Bulter).
Not Your Father’s Dune
Forty years ago, David Lynch directed the first Dune. While the film left out the tedious 80-plus page treatment of walking through a desert, Lynch’s Dune left out deeply rich social norms of Arakkis – such as the quasi-religious obsession with water conservation as displayed in the fountain scene wherein Fremen are forced to scrounge for moist, disregarded napkins in their quest to obtain and sustain water. This was not present in the most recent Dune.
Twenty years ago, The Sci-Fi Channel (before becoming ‘Syfy’) released Frank Herbert’s Dune. This production gave fans a truer sense of the worlds of Dune while simultaneously denouncing the House Harkonnen hierarchy in an attempt to fully realized Herbert’s written material and create a more in-depth, visually appealing conceptualization of the franchise.
What Fans Can Expect From Dune 2
What fans could be surprised by in Dune 2 is (like in the first Dune) the appearance of non-canonical materials. Specifically, the first Dune featured an enormous black spider with human hands and a human face. The disquieting, disturbing, and disgusting creature has nothing to do with any prior film or the series whatsoever.
This mutant spider-man appears in Dune simply to be disregarded after a central character states that the hybrid is not dangerous. Fans were left to wonder…huh? The only logical explanation is that since Dune released around the same time as Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)and slightly after Miles Morales’ foray in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)this was a producer in-joke or a subtle criticism of Marvel’s beloved web-slinger, completely pointless though it might have been.
It may very well be that Dune 2 will surprise new enthusiasts alongside long-time fans with new, fresh material (such as an inexplicable man-spider) neither in the 1984 version, the 2000s version, nor the book series itself. Exciting? Perhaps. Does the possibility invite trepidation from hard-core series enthusiasts? Absolutely.
What was missing from the trailer? The emergence of Alia Atreides, Paul “Muad’Dib”s sister, is a particular highlight that fans are clamoring for. First portrayed by Alicia Witt in Lynch’s 1984 version, the product of Bene Gesserit (/ˈbɛniː ˈdʒɛsərɪt/) genetic manipulation will inevitably lead to (spoilers!) the death of Baron Harkonnen himself.
Taking this all with a grain of salt, it would do for those who enjoyed the original 1984 version, Sci-Fi’s 2000s run, and the 60s book series by Herbert to keep an open mind. From the Doctor Liet-Kynes character – originally played by Max Von Sydow, a white man, and now portrayed by the fierce Sharon Duncan-Brewster, a woman of color – emboldened fans of the Dune series can, of course, expect the unexpected.
