This past March, viewers were thrilled to adventure back to Arrakis with the release of Dune: Part Two, directed by Denis Villeneuve, a sequel arriving two and a half years after its predecessor. It was the second blockbuster film based on the bestselling , which grapples with topics like religious and political manipulation, choice versus fate, the corrupting influence of power, and more.
Dune: Part Two grossed more than $700 million worldwide upon release, surpassing the success of the first film, and fans are already eagerly looking forward to Villeneuve’s next installment based on Herbert’s , which is currently in production. But how do the movies differ from the books? Read on to discover the key differences between the novel and the characters and events of Dune: Part Two. But before we get into Dune: Part Two, first check out our and articles to catch up on what you might have missed.
Warning: The following article contains spoilers for Frank Herbert’s Dune, both of the novel’s adaptations, and speculation on Dune: Messiah.
What happened in Dune: Part Two?
The film follows Paul Atreides, a rising religious figure with prophetic visions of the future, as he learns the ways of the Fremen, who are native to the desert planet of Arrakis, and wages war against the brutal Harkonnen who seek to exploit the planet for spice, its most valuable resource. Paul's mother, Lady Jessica, is a member of a religious and political group called the Bene Gesserit, which seeks to bring about the birth of the foretold Kwisatz Haderach.
The Fremen accept Paul into their ranks on the condition that Jessica drink the Water of Life, bestowing her with the knowledge of all past Reverend Mothers. Drinking the Water of Life also impacts Jessica's unborn baby—Paul's future sister, Alia—allowing Jessica to communicate with her. After learning to fight alongside the northern Fremen, an attack by the Harkonnen forces Paul to journey to the south, where he also drinks the Water of Life and gains vision of all the possible futures across space and time. Seeing one possible path to victory, Paul begins recruiting followers and sets out on a path toward holy war.
How does Dune: Part Two differ from the book?
Overall, Dune fans tend to agree that director Denis Villeneuve's films remain faithful to the tone, setting, and themes of Frank Herbert's original material. But as with any adaptation, certain changes were required to bring the story to a different medium. Here are some of the key ways the story differs from the film.
Cut characters, scenes, and plots
Depending on which edition you're reading or listening to, Frank Herbert's Dune, originally published in 1965, can run over 800 pages. Its length and sheer scope has earned it a reputation as being "unadaptable." It's a massive story with tons of world-building, so naturally, some things had to be cut to make the leap to the big screen.
The plot of the Dune book takes place over three years while the two films reduce that to roughly one year.
There are a number of factions from the book (outside of Paul and the Fremen) who receive significantly less attention in Dune: Part Two, including the Spacing Guild, a group that controls interstellar travel, and CHOAM, a corporation in charge of the empire's commerce, among others.
Count Hasimir Fenring, an adviser to the emperor who plays an important role in Dune's prequels and sequels, was cut entirely from Villeneuve's films, with some of his role instead being covered by his wife, Lady Margot Fenring, a Bene Gesserit played by Léa Seydoux. Count Fenring was rumored to be played by Tim Blake Nelson, who reportedly filmed scenes that were cut for time before the movie's release.
The second film in the series also notably excluded Mentat Thufir Hawat, a military strategist for House Atreides played by Stephen McKinley Henderson in the first film. In the book, after the fall of House Atreides, Hawat is forced to serve House Harkonnen. He learns Paul is the Fremen's leader, Maud'Dib, who he has been working against, and ultimately dies rather than accepting his command to kill Paul.
Alia Atreides in Dune: Part Two
In both the book and movie, Paul's mother, Jessica, drinks the Water of Life while pregnant with Alia, giving Alia the full power of the Reverend Mother. But in the book, we realize Alia's power when she's born with communication skills and knowledge far beyond her age.
Alia shares her psychic visions, wields weapons, and even kills her own grandfather, Baron Harkonnen, by the age of three. Clearly, casting a toddler to pull off this role would have been a challenge. Instead, director Villeneuve opted to have Jessica and Paul communicate with Alia as a fetus after Jessica drinks the Water of Life. We see adult Alia, played by Anya Taylor-Joy, in one of Paul's visions. In the film, it is Paul who kills Baron Harkonnen rather than his sister.
Chani's agency, loyalty, and skepticism
One of the most significant departures in the film is in the character of Chani, played by Zendaya. In the book, Chani is incredibly loyal to Paul and fully supports his ascent to power. In the film, Chani starts the film falling in love with Paul but begins to question the prophecies and religious fervor surrounding him, his increasing power, and whether his actions will truly save the Fremen.
This change makes Chani a much more dynamic character, with agency and independence, and it also provides a perspective through which viewers can begin to question Paul's actions. The book also includes Chani giving birth to a son, named Leto after Paul's father, who tragically dies as an infant in a Sardaukar attack. In a major departure from the ending of the book, which finds Chani supportive of Paul's choice to marry Princess Irulan for political gain, the film ends with Chani furious at his decision and leaving on a sandworm for a destination unknown.
Internal disagreements between the Fremen
In place of political disagreements between other factions, the Villeneuve films give more nuance to the Fremen on Arrakis. While the Fremen of the books are relatively united in their belief in the Bene Gesserit prophesies, the films introduce a divide between the northern Fremen, who are more skeptical of outsiders and prophesies, and the southern Fremen, religious fundamentalists who quickly become fanatical believers in Paul as the messiah. Ultimately, both book and film end with Paul winning over an army of Fremen followers, but the film requires Paul to navigate more internal divisions.
Great Houses' opposition to Paul taking the throne
In the book, Paul's threat to destroy all of Arrakis's spice mines effectively stops the Great Houses from voicing opposition to his ascension to the throne, forcing them to sit on their hands. At the end of the movie, however, we learn that the Great Houses intend to immediately challenge Paul as emperor, setting viewers up for quick action at the beginning of the third film.
What will happen in Dune: Messiah?
Can't wait to find out what happens next in the Dune-iverse? You can get a sneak peek at the next film right now by listening to the audiobook. But here's a taste: We'll see Paul step into his role as a messiah for the Fremen and setting off a holy war. As Paul's visions guide him on a path toward the best possible future, many are harmed in the present, and various political and religious groups seek to dethrone him.
Meanwhile, Paul seeks an heir. Will it be with his concubine Chani, his first love and the woman who introduced him to Fremen society, or with his wife, Princess Irulan, daughter of the Padishah Emperor who Paul dethroned? And when Paul's sight is damaged in an atomic attack by his enemies, can his otherworldly sight keep him from losing power?
Just how closely the film will follow the novel is yet to be seen, but one thing’s for certain—we’ll be tuning in to find out.
Susie Dumond is the author of and . She is a senior contributor at Book Riot and a bookseller at Loyalty Bookstore.