In the first Dune movie, Chani, played by Zendaya, had a small presence on the screen. This fact did not please Denis Villeneuve who wanted to expand her role in Dune: Part 2. Not only will this increase her presence, but this adaptation will also see some changes made to her character when compared to what was initially in Frank Herbert’s book. By doing these shifts, the director attempts to stay true to the vision of Herbert.
Attention! The upcoming text contains plot spoilers of Dune: Part 2.
Understand Herbert’s Goals
The director admits that not all the fans of the book may support the decision to alter the narrative of Chani’s character, but in his opinion, it was needed to suit the storyline of the film.
This is important, most definitely. After all, Chani is my secret weapon in this adaptation, as it allowed me to remain true to what I believe was Frank Herbert’s intention.” Villeneuve told GamesRadar that when the first book came out, Herbert was furious with what people did with the perception of the story, and particularly Paul. “He wanted to create a cautionary tale, not a glorification of a hero, which is what he was trying to build an anti hero.” Chani is my secret weapon in this adaptation as she allowed me to remain true However, Chani has always looked at it differently. Paul is still often presented as if he is a liberation of Arrakis, which does not match Herbert’s intentions, and thus Villeneuve was aware of the presence of such misinterpretation and used Chani to underline the other side of the character that perhaps most encompassed his refusal to take on the expectations of the Lisan al-Gaib. This is why we see Paul’s ‘betrayal’ in Chani’s eyes, as she does not allow herself to be with Paul in the final act of the film. It has been suggested for quite some time now, that this is the essence of why Herbert has written Dune Messiah as a way to explain the critique that surrounded the first book. I believe this was not the case for him initially, and I believe it was part of my efforts when designing this adaptation where I remain loyal to Herbert, where I feel it is appropriate. I designed this adaptation in a way where I feel there is no need to sacrifice my belief where honouring Herbert’s depth is vital. There is still the third part of Dune Messiah to come out, and although there is no indication that Villeneuve will be adapting it for the time being, Villeneuve has spoken about wanting to cleanse the embarrassment created by how Paul and Chani’s arc in the film was presented.