A Sense of Doubt blog post #3642 - DUNE Movies Skip Most Controversial Book
Love all the Dune: books, movies, TV show.
Fantastic.
Fans who might not have a vast knowledge of the Frank Herbert Dune novels might not know that the latest adaptations haven't even covered past the first book yet. When Denis Villeneuve's adaptation was announced, it made a lot of sense to Dune and science fiction fans to have the same person who nailed a Blade Runner sequel also helm an updated Dune adaptation. Of course, Dune has been attempted a couple of times before, and in different ways. Dune was originally going to come out as a movie before Star Wars in 1977 and be the next big thing in cinema. After the script went through countless rewrites and director choices, the film was put on hold for years. After Star Wars, Universal looked to make their upcoming Dune the '80s version of Star Wars with David Lynch as the director. It didn't exactly go that way.
Ever since 1984, Dune has had TV movie adaptations and continuation novels but never a true attempt to finally remake the movie. When Villeneuve was attached to the new film in 2016, many fans wondered how he might approach the material. Immediately, Villeneuve's films have separated themselves from previous iterations. Since the films have been released, they have proven to be masterful works of science fiction in a myriad of ways. Dune: Part Two has been considered one of the greatest sequels of all time by some audiences. The funny thing about the second film being a sequel is that it's actually not entirely a sequel at all. Villeneuve has made a conscious choice to focus primarily on the most important character in the Dune novels: Paul Atreides. By doing so, he is secretly skipping the most controversial book in the series.
Dune and Dune: Part Two Are the First Novel Split Into Two Parts
This Prolongs the Story of Paul Atreides
Some book-to-film adaptations or book-to-television adaptations have a very simple format in which the first book is adapted to the first film, the second book, the second film or second season, and so on and so forth. A series that did this really well was the Harry Potter franchise, which didn't split a book into two parts until the last one. That format became very common for film series based on books.
However, Villeneuve took a different approach entirely, and it is not common at all. Villeneuve splits the first book in the Dune series into two parts. Fans of the book understand this intentional choice by the great sci-fi director. While fans (including Villeneuve) love the entire Dune series, there's no denying that the books change drastically as the series goes on. While some of the later books are delightfully surprising in their own ways, many are a step down from how incredible the first few books are. Villeneuve understands that in order to tell one of the most contained stories of Dune, he must focus on the most important arc in the series.
Dune: Part Two's Biggest Change From the Book Could Have Massive Dune: Messiah Implications
Although it might not seem like much, Zendaya's Chani does something very different in the films that could completely change Dune: Messiah.
In many ways, splitting the first book into two films is great for expanding on the character of Paul Atreides and allowing audiences to spend more time with him. His rise in the first film and turn to darkness in the second is one of the most powerful arcs in science fiction. Allowing the space to spend time with Paul gives him more sympathetic and empathetic growth and connection to the audience. It makes his dark turn that much more impactful. It also sets up the next film as well as the book sets up its sequel.
Of course, fans might not realize how different the second book actually is and that the cliffhanger that is established in the final moments of Dune: Part Two won't pay off in the way they expect. Nonetheless, the first two Dune films are full of substance and are well crafted as a story specifically about Paul Atreides. Despite the intentional changes Villeneuve makes to his adaptation, there isn't much that is excluded from the book aside from a couple of characters. While the argument for whether Dune: Part Two is actually a sequel can be had, the upcoming third film is going to adapt the true sequel and wrap up a trilogy before delving into the more esoteric direction of the source material.
Dune: Messiah Makes Sense as a Conclusion to a Trilogy
Paul Atreides' Story Can Come to an End
If the first film in the Villeneuve trilogy is about setting up the ultimate conflict in the Imperium and blowing up Paul's world, then the second film is about Paul's rise to power and takeover of the Imperium. In the Dune: Messiah novel, the story picks up years after Paul's Jihad in which a large-scale war with the great house ensued. While this could work as a follow-up to Dune: Part Two, the real way to conclude Paul's arc is by spending time with him as Emperor Muad'dib before the end of his reign.
In the Dune: Messiah novel, that is exactly how things progress. Paul is the Emperor, and he is ruling the Imperium with an iron fist when subtle forces bring new conflicts to his doorstep. The way the novel plays out is exhilarating and heartbreaking to the point where it changes the direction of the entire Dune series. Ultimately, Dune: Messiah finishes the arc of Paul Muad'dib and sets the stage for different circumstances in the third book. From this point of view, it makes a lot of sense to finish a film trilogy with the second novel instead of the third.
10 Dune Book Storylines That Need to Be Seen After Dune: Prophecy
There are a number of great Dune spin-offs and prequels in literature that could inspire more new Dune TV shows.
Villeneuve has focused the entire film trilogy on Paul and his rise to power. Now fans will get to see him wield that power when it is at its fullest strength. The reason this will be so powerful is that Dune: Part Two depicts Paul's turn to darkness. Dune: Messiah will need to be Paul's villain tale and an arc of either destruction or redemption. Fans know how things play out in the book, but it is already feeling like Villeneuve's adaptation will be different from the source material.
There are currently too many elements working against Villeneuve making the most faithful adaptation of Dune: Messiah. At this point in his trilogy, it is going to separate itself from the books and focus on its own purpose as a sci-fi trilogy: it will end the story of Paul Atreides.
While there has been speculation that Warner Brothers and Legendary want to continue the series after Dune: Messiah, it will not include Villeneuve and ultimately exist separately from the director's initial trilogy. The format of the new Dune films and the source material allow for this possibility. Villeneuve's trilogy is going to end right before adapting the most controversial book in the series.
Children of Dune Turns Leto Atreides II Into the New Protagonist
It Also Establishes Much More Storytelling in the Dune Series
What makes the third Dune book so controversial is its overall direction and how it steers the series away from the original protagonist, Paul Atreides. While Paul is in the book, his role is incredibly different from the previous two novels. It concludes his arc in a much different way than fans expected.
In many ways, Children of Dune is a masterpiece in and of itself. Acting as its own sci-fi epic with a thick plot and tons of twists, Children of Dune actually makes the story of the Atreides family more melodramatic. However, it became very clear that the story was not over, and that the series was about to go in a completely different direction. Children of Dune has been adapted on its own once before already in the 2003 miniseries which focuses on the rise of Leto Atreides II. The fact that the third book in the series could be made on its own further proves the separation it has from the first two novels.
The Real Protagonist of the Dune Universe Is Not Who Audiences Would Expect
The real protagonist of the Dune novels is not who fans would think, but they are definitely a fan-favorite character.
Without Paul Atreides, Children of Dune turns its attention entirely to Paul's children, Leto II and Ghanima. As the book progresses, the story becomes entirely about Leto II and makes him the protagonist. Where the book goes and how it ends sets the stage for an entirely different kind of book in the series. The following books are truly different from the contained story of Paul Atreides that is told in the first couple of novels.
In order for Villeneuve to have a chance at a singular three-film arc for the main protagonist, he had to split the first book into two films and subtly avoid the third novel in the original series. It will be interesting to see how the Dune franchise continues beyond Villeneuve's films. With a spin-off series released on MAX and other projects in the works, it is clear that there is an intention to expand the franchise even more. Despite its storytelling controversies and overall direction, Children of Dune would make an epic sci-fi movie. However, it doesn't have a strong enough place in the story Villeneuve is currently telling.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No comments:
Post a Comment