Dune: Part Two Director Explains Why He Changed SPOILER's Role in Sequel

Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve wanted to adapt Frank Herbert's Dune more faithfully than seen in previous adaptations, with one major decision being to split the events of the book into two feature-length movies. While this offered Villeneuve more time to bring the expansive storyline to life, he still had to make some changes to the narrative to fully realize his vision, which included not only cutting out some characters completely, but also altering their impact in the overall experience. Villeneuve recently expressed his motivation for changing these key components of the original novel for the film, which is in theaters now.

WARNING: Spoilers below for Dune: Part Two

In the original Dune novel, Lady Jessica is revealed to be pregnant with Duke Leto's baby, with their daughter Alia Atreides inheriting a number of impressive abilities from her mother. Alia would ultimately be kidnapped, but managed to escape and also kill Baron Harkonnen in the process.

In 2021's Dune, audiences saw that Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica is pregnant, but in Dune: Part Two, she doesn't give birth. Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides does have visions of his younger sister, which includes one sequence in which Anya Taylor-Joy plays an adult version of Alia. It would ultimately be Paul who kills the Baron in Dune: Part Two.

Villeneuve explained that by keeping Jessica pregnant, it changed the overall momentum of the story and also made the character more integral to the journey.

"It came out of screenwriting discussions with Jon [Spaihts], when we were trying to figure out how to increase tension and create more momentum in the story," the filmmaker revealed to Entertainment Weekly. "To put more pressure on Paul, we decided to compress time. We had this idea that we could create the feeling of the progression of time through Jessica's pregnancy. I thought this was really fresh and original to have a character who is pregnant and still a powerful woman, a central figure of the story. I don't remember having seen that, especially in a sci-fi movie, and it gave me the opportunity to develop ideas that were in the book. Having her talk to her fetus was a way to illustrate the power of the Water of Life, this substance that gives you access to the past lives of previous Reverend Mothers. It was a way to more precisely express how Alia becomes this abomination."

He added, "When we had this idea, it was like an epiphany for me. It was one of the final bricks of the screenplay. I don't know how the fans will react, because it's a strong curve that we took, but I felt that it was very close to the spirit of the book. I'm very happy with this idea."

While the project has yet to officially be greenlit, Villeneuve has expressed that he hopes to adapt the novel's sequel, Dune Messiah, into a film to complete the cinematic trilogy. In this case, he would seemingly bring back Taylor-Joy to play a more significant role in the franchise.

Dune: Part Two will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. 

The big-screen epic Dune: Part Two includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Stephen McKinley Henderson, and Léa Seydoux, with Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, and Javier Bardem. Denis Villeneuve directed from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts based on Frank Herbert's iconic novel. 

Dune: Part Two is in theaters now.

What do you think of the changes the filmmaker made? Let us know in the comments!