teen students wearing uniforms in library (generated by Firefly)

What do teens want to know about Dune

Community

I’ve been invited to give some talks on Dune to students at a local junior high and high school, so this has me wondering: what do teens want to know about Dune? I’ve done plenty of talks on this subject, but typically my audience is adults, usually at university, so I want to make sure I’m pitching my presentation at the right level. I don’t want to talk down to them, but I also want to be accessible and get them interested in reading this epic science fiction text if they haven’t already. This is a pivotal time in their

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Variety article on Dune: Part Two Middle Eastern and North African influences

Commentary in Variety article on Middle Eastern and North African Influences in Dune: Part Two

Criticism

Sharareh Drury in ‘Dune 2’ Criticized for Lack of Middle Eastern and North African Inclusion and Influences: ‘A Missed Opportunity’ addresses the Dune: Part Two film’s treatment of Middle Eastern and North African elements and Islamic culture, casting, and the missed opportunity to adapt Herbert’s novel Dune in a way that involved and represented marginalized communities. I appreciated the opportunity to provide background and commentary about the Fremen and their depiction in the source material. Great quote from writer Khaldoun Khelil in this article: “The problem for the movies [and] the director’s vision and his perspective is that he did

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Ryan Doherty's article for Inverse on Dune sequel adaptations

Commentary in Inverse article on Dune adaptations

Community

Rory Doherty in Should Denis Villeneuve Make More Dune Sequels? Dune Scholars Aren’t So Sure for Inverse interviewed me and others about potential future sequel adaptations of Dune. I find interesting that people are praising the films for supposedly changing ‘nothing characters’ into something, but also not minding the downplaying or erasure of others such as the Mentats and Guild. It’s also interesting how journalists continue to have a much broader definition of who qualifies as an expert or scholar and tend to draw from their own media pools. Academics may be harder to get a hold of but there is

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Dune Imperium Uprising game on table

Review: Dune Imperium Uprising Game

Community

My review of the Dune: Imperium Uprising board game from Dire Wolf is up at Dune News Net. This updated version of the original Dune: Imperium game adds new elements such as sandworms and spies and incorporates visuals from the Dune: Part Two film. It’s a fun way to immerse yourself in the Dune universe and its politics and intrigue through gameplay.

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Chani in Dune: Part Two film

My Analysis of Chani in Dune: Part Two

Criticism

My analysis of Chani in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two film has been published on Dune News Net as Chani and the Empowered Woman Stereotype in ‘Dune: Part Two’: No Family, No Faith, Just Fight. Chani’s portrayal in the ‘Dune’ movies eliminates key roles she held in the book, reducing her agency and depth as a character. This piece continues my analysis of the women in the film, begun in Dune: Part Two’s Treatment of Women is an Abomination, which focuses on Jessica and the Bene Gesserit. It draws from my prior scholarship on Chani’s character and my discussion of

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