Dune’s marketing fooled viewers twice

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part 2 ‘ has already become a smash hit in 2024. It will be a sequel in 2021. dunes, the sequel adapts the second half of Frank Herbert’s monolithic science fiction epic. This book later inspired many aspects of the film. Star Wars, mad maxand Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and many more. The film has the weight of a popular series, Villeneuve’s outstanding reputation as a filmmaker, and questionable popcorn buckets to drive its marketing, but only a small portion of its success is thanks to marketing ploys. And it wouldn’t be the first time.

It’s safe to say that Dune: Part 2 It features one of the best ensemble casts in modern cinema. It’s a collective that brings back ensemble films like . Lord of the Ring Trilogy. The cast is an eclectic mix of Hollywood veterans such as Stellan Skarsgård, Christopher Walken, and Javier Bardem, as well as young acting newcomers such as Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Austin Butler. Although the cast was a major aspect of the marketing for both films, the marketing teams were quick and loose in revealing how much certain actors would appear in the films.

Two notable actors only had small “cameo” roles in Dune.

The year is 2021. You’re just sitting in your local movie theater, looking forward to seeing how Denis Villeneuve will adapt a novel that many consider unadaptable. Although Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya dominated social media for months before its release, Zendaya’s character Chani barely appeared in the movie.

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Although it did not detract from the viewer’s consideration, dunes Although the film is a masterpiece of the science fiction genre and represents a significant improvement over David Lynch’s film adaptation attempt from 1984, some audiences felt misled by the film’s marketing approach. . For several months, Zendaya’s role as the central Fremen warrior Chani was promoted as if she were one of the film’s leads. That was until her appearance was reduced to a few dream sequences and a few scenes towards the end. A new scene, corresponding to the post-credits scene, used Chani as the glue that held the relationship together. dunes On to the inevitable sequel.

Dune: Part 2 In addition to the aforementioned Walken, Skarsgård, and Butler, many notable actors joined the cast, including Florence Pugh and Léa Seydoux. In that mix was the queen’s gambit Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, her mysterious role was a big part of the sequel’s marketing strategy. Rumors and speculations about her mysterious character were abound on the internet. Will she play a fan favorite, or will her role be an original creation devised by Villeneuve? Then the movie was released and the audience noticed that her screen time was very short.

Indeed, Anya Taylor-Joy plays an important and beloved character, just not in the way you might imagine. Many expected to see the actress line up alongside Paul Atreides or even fight the Fremen. But when Anya Taylor-Joy’s role became that of her cognitively developed unborn child, audiences were perplexed. After drinking her water of life, Lady Jessica’s (Rebecca Ferguson) unborn child, Aria Atreides, begins speaking to her with her telekinesis, with Taylor-Joy providing her voice. Aria’s future in the series was teased a little further when Anya Taylor-Joy appeared in person in a five-second vision. But that’s the extent of Anya Taylor-Joy’s screen time. Dune: Part 2.

Anya Taylor-Joy to play bigger role in Dune: Messiah

Some fans were expected to be upset that Warner Bros. used the same marketing technique twice. Anya Taylor-Joy’s mysterious character was used as the story’s glue. Dune: Part 2 and future Dune: Messiah, It concludes the trilogy.Of course, for fans of the book, Arya’s portrayal is Dune: Part 2 That wasn’t surprising. However, it was a surprise to general viewers that an actress as big as Anya Taylor-Joy became the only narrator for a few voices. Just as Chani’s role grew from her chosen cameo, dunes Arya will also appear as she will be one of the most important characters in the sequel Dune: Messiah.

Having undergone the same trials as her mother and ingesting the Water of Life, Arya has an intelligence greater than many adults, despite being only four years old throughout most of the series. Arya becomes Paul’s primary ally, using her superior intelligence to give House Atreides a tactical advantage in the upcoming Holy War. Of course, Anya Taylor-Joy playing a 4-year-old is a little too much. Denis Villeneuve had to change several aspects of her own character to make her appear in Paul’s vision. Dune: Part 2. However, this does not detract from how important this character is to the future of the series as the “guiding voice” of the Atreides family.

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There is no deadline at this time Dune: Messiah‘s production schedule, many fans believe that Villeneuve will take a break between installments. Therefore, it might be a few years before we witness Alia’s character in the limelight in movies. Dune: Messiah. Dune: Part 2 is currently showing in theaters.