New Dune Project to Be Set in Reality Where Chalamet's Character Never Existed
Timothée Chalamet has already done a lot to popularize Dune. Now, the franchise may keep going without him — or even pretend he didn’t exist.
Frank Herbert’s first Dune book was published almost sixty years ago, in 1965. Despite its properly ruthless and appealing setting and the author’s fame, it didn’t exactly turn into a massive IP: while Dune sure had its fair share of fans, the 1984 adaptation by David Lynch didn’t do it justice, and the wonders of Arrakis remained hidden from most people.
A Prophet Changed Everything 3 Years Ago
Just like in the original story, it was the arrival of the prophet that completely turned the tide. In 2021, director Denis Villeneuve released his version of Dune — and this time, the franchise really blew up. Boasting a star-studded cast, strong writing, and visuals and soundtracks so breathtaking they belong in a museum, the latest adaptation took its game to a whole new level.
In 2023, Villeneuve followed it up with the second installment that left an open ending for its main character — Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. The latter is a peculiar case: it’s thanks to Paul’s story that Dune has grown into the beautiful monstrosity it is today, but it doesn’t seem like his services are needed any longer.
You see, the overwhelming success of Villeneuve’s movies enticed video game developers to hop aboard of the Dune train… But they didn’t take Paul with them.
No Prophet Needed for True Awakening
Dune: Awakening is an upcoming survival MMO set in Frank Herbert’s iconic world, and it’s expected to enter early access in 2024. Obviously, the game is set on Arrakis, but it’s not the location that made fans raise their eyebrows: in Awakening, players will explore the desert planet in an alternate timeline where Paul Atreides was never born.
In Awakening’s reality, Jessica never decided to go against the Bene Gesserit’s will and instead of a son, gave her husband a daughter — not Paul, but Ariste. Since the Fremen don’t have their Lisan al Gaib, they can’t exactly be bothered to partake in the political intrigues of Arrakis, and the conflict between Houses Atreides and Harkonnen turns into a “war of assassins” where the sides exchange subtle blows.
This decision is brilliant in that it allows players to fully take part in the conflict on any side without the restricting knowledge of “these guys have the prophet and they will win.” But also, it’s a little sad to think that after everything, Paul won’t be there.
Here’s to hoping that Ariste Atreides is equally — or even more — badass.
Source: Funcom via YouTube