{"id":46902,"date":"2024-03-01T07:00:12","date_gmt":"2024-03-01T06:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1997846"},"modified":"2024-03-01T07:33:41","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T06:33:41","slug":"how-is-dune-part-two-different-from-the-book-book-changes-explained","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/how-is-dune-part-two-different-from-the-book-book-changes-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"How is Dune: Part Two different from the book? Book changes explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Director Denis Villeneuve continues to adapt the seminal novel Dune by author Frank Herbert. <\/p>

By Lewis Knight\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 01 March 2024 at 06:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

There are few sci-fi novels to have had the impact that Frank Herbert\u2019s Dune had.<\/p>\n

Dune: Part Two<\/a> continues directly from director Denis Villeneuve\u2019s 2021 film Dune: Part One, with Paul Atreides (Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet) and his pregnant mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) now among the native population of Arrakis, the Fremen.<\/p>\n

Among the Fremen is the warrior Chani (Zendaya), whom Paul has long dreamt about before even meeting her.<\/p>\n

However, a thorn in the side of both House Atreides and the Fremen remains in the form of House Harkonnen and the Imperium.<\/p>\n

New characters are introduced this time around, including Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV Corrino (Christopher Walken) and his daughter Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), Bene Gesserit agent Lady Margot Fenring (L\u00e9a Seydoux), Fremen warrior Shishalki (Souheila Yacoub), and Paul\u2019s new nemesis, Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler).<\/p>\n

So, after the changes in adapting the first film<\/a>, what changes were made from the book to the adaptation in Dune: Part Two?<\/p>\n

*Spoiler warning for Dune: Part Two*<\/strong><\/p>\n

How is Dune: Part Two different from the book? Book changes explained<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Fremen<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Javier\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Javier Bardem as Stilgar in Dune: Part Two.<\/span><\/figcaption> Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While the novel Dune does distinguish that southern Arrakis is seen by imperial forces as \u201cinhospitable\u201d, there is less of a sense that the Fremen are distinguishable by Northern and Southern subcultures, as seen in the film.<\/p>\n

In the film, the Fremen in the South of Arrakis are seen as more \u201cfundamentalist\u201d and further indoctrinated in the prophecies and dogma planted by the \u201cMissionaria Protectiva\u201d of the Bene Gesserit. Here, Stilgar (Javier Bardem) is described as hailing from the South and is keen to believe that Paul Atreides could be the Freman\u2019s prophesied messiah or \u2018Voice from the Outer World\u2019, the Lisan al-Ghaib.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Fremen of the North, including Chani and her friend Shishakli, are not overtly indoctrinated in the ways of prophecies and are much more cynical about the notion of those from other worlds coming to save them. They believe the people of Arrakis should save themselves.<\/p>\n

Chani<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Zendaya\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Zendaya as Chani in Dune: Part Two.<\/span><\/figcaption> Niko Tavernise\/Warner Bros<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

One of the major figures to change most notably from the source material when adapted for film is the character Chani.<\/p>\n

In the novel, Chani is the daughter of Dr Liet-Kynes and the niece of Stilgar who, while a warrior adept in the fighting skills of the Fremen, remains a more passive figure who is continuously devoted to Paul Atreides.<\/p>\n

In the films, Chani does not have these familial connections and is much more cynical about the prophecies of the Lisan al-Ghaib, wisely seeing such messianic messages from the Bene Gesserit as another means to enslave the Fremen and manipulate them for political gain.<\/p>\n

Despite an evident love for Paul in the film, Chani is not a blind follower and starkly disagrees with his means of coming to power. The film\u2019s end sees her emotionally reject the results of the war and depart.<\/p>\n

Chani in the film also does not get along at all with Paul\u2019s mother Lady Jessica and their interactions are even hostile, unlike her book counterpart, who is loving and devoted to Jessica.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, film-Chani serves as an audience surrogate and one with complicated feelings and loyalties, with Zendaya delivering a moving performance as the heroine.<\/p>\n

Shishakli<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Souheila\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Souheila Yacoub as Shishakli in Dune: Part Two.<\/span><\/figcaption> Warner Bros<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

In the novel, Shishakli is one of the Fedaykin commandos who serves under Paul in the fight against the Harkonnens and the Imperium.<\/p>\n

Shishakli serves a similar function here but is more notable for being the closest friend of Chani, and is not a believer in the prophecies surrounding Paul.<\/p>\n

However, Shishakli does<\/em> come to serve and believe in Paul and later loses her life by being personally set on fire by na-Baron Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler).<\/p>\n

Similarly to Dr Liet-Kynes in the first film, Shishakli is gender-swapped when adapting the novel.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Shishakli is a much more memorable character in the film and much of this is also down to Souheila Yacoub\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n

Alia Atreides<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Anya\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Anya Taylor-Joy at the Dune: Part Two premiere.<\/span><\/figcaption> Samir Hussein\/WireImage<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

In the novel by Frank Herbert, Alia Atreides is woken to consciousness in the womb when her mother consumes the Water of Life while pregnant and gains prescient abilities.<\/p>\n

Once Alia is born, she is conscious with the mind of an adult, and accesses the ancestral memories of all reverend mothers who came before her, carrying the skills and abilities of an adult Bene Gesserit reverend mother, even as a toddler.<\/p>\n

In the novel, Alia has fighting abilities and even dispatches her maternal grandfather, Baron Vladimir Harkkonen with a Gom Jabbar needle.<\/p>\n

However, in the film, Alia remains unborn, speaking through a psychic connection with her mother Lady Jessica and later with Paul himself.<\/p>\n

Paul\u2019s drinking of the Water of Life in the film sees him speak with Alia in visions and we see Alia as an adult, portrayed by Anya Taylor-Joy, who also provides the voice of the sentient foetus.<\/p>\n

The importance of Alia in what is to come is made clear, but she has a much less overtly physical presence in the film.<\/p>\n

We can likely expect her as an adult in a third Dune film, based on the second novel in the book series, Dune Messiah.<\/p>\n

Lady Jessica<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Rebecca\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica in Dune: Part Two.<\/span><\/figcaption> Courtesy of Warner Bros<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Much of Lady Jessica\u2019s actions in the novel Dune are morally ambiguous, but the film adaptation of these in Part Two makes her much more overtly villainous and less morally conflicted.<\/p>\n

Despite an initial fear of the weight of her son\u2019s destiny in the film, once Jessica has consumed the Water of Life in Part Two, it is her political ambition to weaponise the religious zeal of the Fremen to aid Paul in his ascent to power.<\/p>\n

Due to the lack of Alia\u2019s unsettling physical presence in the film, remaining in psychic communication with Jessica as a foetus, Ferguson is empowered to embody the darker side of the Bene Gesserit and their prescient abilities on-screen as their key religious figure.<\/p>\n

In the film\u2019s final scenes, Lady Jessica communes with Alia and appears to take comfort in knowing Paul has unleashed his full might on the universe.<\/p>\n

However, the cynicism of this result is underlined by Jessica\u2019s discovery of her Harkonnen heritage and also her final communication with her old teacher, Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam.<\/p>\n

After Jessica gloats that Mohiam chose the wrong side, Mohiam reminds her that \u201cyou of all people should know by now that there is no such thing as sides\u201d.<\/p>\n

Timeline<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Timothee\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Timothee Chalamet as Paul Atreides and Zendaya as Chani in Dune: Part Two.<\/span><\/figcaption> Warner Bros\/Niko Tavernise<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

The time frame of Dune: Part Two is much more condensed than the events of the novel, which take place over years rather than months.<\/p>\n

In the novel, after Paul is welcomed into the Fremen community at Sietch Tabr and his mother Jessica drinks the Water of Life, there is a two-year time-jump that shows Paul fully entrenched as a leader among the Fremen. He is also shown settled in a life with Chani, and they have a son named Leto \u2013 after Paul\u2019s late father.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Jessica is firmly entrenched in her role as a Reverend Mother and her unsettlingly sentient infant child Alia Atreides is seen as a religious icon among the Fremen, too.<\/p>\n

It is also during this time that the Harkonnens have increased their vice-like grip on Arrakis, but have heard dangerous omens of the new Fremen religious leader known as Muad\u2019Dib.<\/p>

Character omissions<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\"Stephen\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat in Dune: Part One.<\/span><\/figcaption> YouTube\/Warner Bros<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Several characters in the novel Dune are absent in Dune: Part Two, but these three are the most notable.<\/p>\n