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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Jessica in her Reverend Mother garb flanked by other Fremen

Dune: Part Two’s Treatment of Women is an Abomination

Criticism

Despite stated intentions to focus on women and expand their roles, the new Dune film adaptations disappointingly fall back on stereotypes for the Bene Gesserit and undermine the political, religious, and maternal agency of Jessica in particular. Cast and Crew Intentions Director Denis Villeneuve has discussed in numerous interviews that he wanted to focus on the women in his adaptation. Before Dune: Part One, he said: “For me, it was important to bring more femininity to the story. I am fascinated by the relationship of femininity and power, the place of women in society…. [Lady Jessica]’s a fascinating character, one

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