Dune ending explained, and how the movie sets up a spicy sequel – CNET [CNET]

HBO Max In this epic, magisterial sci-fi saga, Duke Leto Atreides and his aristocratic family touch down on the sand-choked world of Arrakis only for previous occupants the Harkonnens to violently reclaim their all-important spice-mining operation. It’s very nearly the end of the Atreides clan, but also a big step toward a larger destiny for Leto’s sharp-cheekboned scion, Paul.

Soulfully played by Timothée Chalamet, Paul has been seeing visions of himself in the desert of Arrakis, meeting a mysterious stranger who looks a lot like Spider-Man and Euphoria star Zendaya. So as the film ends, Paul escapes into the desert with his witchily weird mother, Lady Jessica, and the film ends on a cliff-hanger ready for Dune Part 2. Frank Herbert’s original 1965 novel splits fairly neatly(ish) into two sections, and though movie studio Warner Bros. hasn’t confirmed a sequel yet, Villeneuve wants to pick up with the second half of the book later. 

Villeneuve’s version isn’t completely identical to the book: For example, he’s cut the villainous Harkonnen character Feyd, memorably played by Sting in David Lynch’s 1984 film version. Lynch’s odd and much-derided film told the whole story of the book, but with less depth than this new 2021 version.

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It’s here that Paul sees his visions begin to come true. First he meets the girl of his dreams, Chani (Zendaya, finally). Then, just as in his dreams, she gives him a Crysknife, the ceremonial Fremen blade made from the tooth of a sandworm. Paul stands in as Jessica’s champion and ultimately kills Jamis with the knife given him by Chani.

This is the first time Paul has killed anyone, though with the Harkonnens still around it’s unlikely to be the last. The fight wins Paul and Jessica acceptance into Stilgar’s hideaway, known as a sietch. That’s where they’re headed as the credits roll and Paul gazes into Chani’s glowing blue eyes. Zendaya was only on set for four days, and if you’re left wondering why she’s barely in it, well, did I mention there’s supposed to be a sequel?

Considering this is a story about galactic emperors and starships and space-witches scheming across time and space, the film seemed to be building to something more stirring than a knife fight in a cave. Ending the story with an intimate emotional moment is a clever subversion of the usual blockbuster space battle, so Villeneuve deserves credit for that. But when the film is so drastically open-ended, it would’ve been more satisfying to see at least some kind of resolution.

But if you’ve read the book, you’ll know there are still plenty of big revelations to come. Is Paul really Muad’Dib, the Kwisatz Haderach, the cosmic messiah of Dune? What’s the meaning of Paul’s visions of himself with blue, glowing eyes? Will he return to his rain-swept home planet Caladan? Will he defeat Baron Harkonnen, and will he face the scheming galactic Emperor who set this death and destruction in motion?

Only time, and Dune Part 1’s box office receipts, will tell. If Dune is a hit in theaters and on HBO Max, then Warner Bros. will hopefully give Villeneuve the go-ahead to shoot the sequel in the next year or so, and hopefully we’ll get a proper ending.