Culture news “61 billion people will die” After Dune 2, Denis Villeneuve’s SF saga will be much darker
Dune is to science fiction what The Lord of the Rings is to Heroic Fantasy… a major saga on which contemporary works belonging to their respective genre are directly or indirectly based. The novel Dune written by Frank Herbert in 1965 initiated a literary dynasty which still continues today both on paper and on the big screen with the cinematographic saga of Denis Villeneuve.
Several filmmakers have launched an attack on Arrakis with varying degrees of success. David Lynch is the first to escape the trap set by the Fremen. The film Dune was released in 1984 and underperformed at the box office before gaining cult status over time. 37 years later, Denis Villeneuve attempts to climb the peaks of Dune and succeeds. The feature film starring Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson and Oscar Isaac was warmly received by critics and the general public while bringing in 434.8 million US dollars at the box office for an estimated budget of 165 million (excluding marketing costs). Such success allows the Quebec filmmaker to launch production of a direct sequel, and even a third film even before the release of Dune, Part II.
The rest of the article discusses the end of Dune, second part and several elements of the book The Messiah of Dune published in 1969. The JV editorial team advises you to see the Dune diptych and read the novel before continuing.
The Holy War is about to begin
Dune: Part Two ends with Paul Atreides ascending the Imperial throne and marrying Princess Irulan, daughter of the freshly deposed Emperor Shaddam IV. The legions of supposedly indestructible Sardaukars are no more. Nothing stands in the way of Muad’Dib’s reign, except for the Great Houses of the Dune universe. who stand against the new emperor and amass their troops in orbit around the planet Arrakis. The last words spoken by Paul Atréides leave no doubt as to the course of events.
The troops of the new emperor are preparing to embark to spread their faith throughout the universe with the first victims being the Great Houses who oppose Muad’Dib’s vision. The book The Messiah of Dune (1969) begins twelve years after the end of the first and presents a universe pacified by weapons. The bloody Holy War led by Fremen troops led to the worst genocide in human history. The known universe is conquered, but at the cost of 61 billion deaths.
Dune, third part could make an ellipse similar to that of the literary series and obscure the jihad to better focus on the present of Paul Atreides or on the contrary put into images this intergalactic conflict long imagined by fans of the literary saga. Many of them stopped at the six novels as well as the short story by Frank Herbert. Denis Villeneuve has discussed adapting Dune Messiah for the big screen, which involves the bloody reign of Paul Atreides. Questioned by a journalist from New York Times on this subject, the Canadian director and Timothée Chalamet kicked in:
(Cursed be Chalamet) – Denis Villeneuve
I didn’t write it! – Timothée Chalamet