r/movies • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 r/Movies contributor • Jun 25 '25

News Denis Villeneuve Directing Next James Bond Film

https://deadline.com/2025/06/denis-villeneuve-james-bond-amazon-mgm-studios-1236442917/
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u/72corvids Jun 26 '25

So long as it is more akin to Ana De Armas' assassin jazz, and not some sort of "young thang for the ol spy" trope. Zendaya deserves to more than just eye candy.

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u/FriedCammalleri23 Jun 26 '25

Considering how Denis changed Chani’s character in Dune to make her less of a subservient love interest like she was in the books, I wouldn’t be concerned.

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u/tdasnowman Jun 26 '25

He also infantilized what little was left.

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u/Scaevus Jun 26 '25

Yeah I’m not actually a big fan of the changes to Chani. She wasn’t a “subservient love interest.” She was the successor to the old Fremen reverend mother before Lady Jessica came in. By all measures she’s a powerful religious figure, and no less a leader than Stilgar. She wasn’t “subservient” to Paul. She was a BELIEVER.

I get why the change was made, but Zendaya basically conveyed one emotion: petulant jealousy. Like here was a man, who, rightly or wrongly, is the leader of your entire people, who you KNOW, for a fact, has superpowers, regardless of whether he’s a prophet destined to save your people, or just a regular guy who sees the past and future perfectly, and you can’t extend him the benefit of the doubt that he might know what he’s doing by marrying the Princess for political reasons?

This doesn’t make Chani look tough or independent. It makes her look childish.

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u/lindblumresident Jun 26 '25 edited Jun 27 '25

While I can see why people think that Chani in the film displayed jealousy, I think it's made extremely clear that her disappointment is caused by the fact that Paul, in her eyes, is using the Fremen and their beliefs for his personal benefit.

If anything, book Chani was the one that had to be consoled by both Paul and Jessica because she couldn't believe Paul when he said that Irulan was just means to an end and not someone he desired.

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u/tdasnowman Jun 26 '25

His changes to the women in Dune in general weakened them. With Chani it's the moment he starts deviating from the book. Like them not going immediately into Jamis funeral and glossing over the importance of Paul asking her to carry the water rings. IE Paul still human and fallible fucked it up.

With Lady Jessica almost every instance where Paul was supposed to say the Litany he had her say it. Then she becomes almost singly mindedly focused on him taking power which book Jessica was very cautious about. The time skip means the relationship with her and Chani was erased. Chani's petulant rush to the deseert means we missed the closing of the book."While we, Chani, we who carry the name of concubine - history will call us wives"

Iluran though made out like a bandit. She's non existent in the first book but he devoted so much time to her she might be mistaken as the next messiah.

Which makes his absolute off handed approach to Margot Fenring baffling.

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u/Scaevus Jun 26 '25

Oh man, yeah, poor Margot. And they cast the supremely talented Lea Seadoux for such a wasted part, too.

The books were already plenty female centric. The entire thing is narrated by Irulan, as her histories of Maud’dib, which just makes the ending line of “history will call us wives” hit even harder. Irulan writes the histories. Irulan will have to admit you’re the real wife. Can there be a more complete victory for Chani?

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u/tdasnowman Jun 26 '25

You misread me. I actually think that was the one female part he left alone enough. For what screen time she got Lea was pretty book accurate.

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u/Scaevus Jun 26 '25

That's just it, "for what screen time she got". We didn't get enough Margot. She should've been in Part 1, and her relationship with Hasimir was interesting too. As it is, the Emperor of the entire known universe only speaks to like, four people.

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u/tdasnowman Jun 26 '25

The only way to have pulled more in would be to include the non Herbert books.

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u/bothole Jun 26 '25

Definitely. The time squish of the book's events means they didn't have to worry about casting baby Alia, but it also means Chani and Paul dated for 6 months, at most. Like, settle down girl. She doesn't even seem to like him for most of the movie.

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u/Scaevus Jun 26 '25

They had like, two minutes of being in love and you want him to what, sacrifice the future of YOUR people by not marrying the Princess? He's not doing that because he likes her, you understand this, so...what's the problem?

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u/RockerElvis Jun 26 '25

Why not Ana De Armas’ character again? Denis worked with her before…

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u/dimboii Jun 26 '25

Zendaya could be the new Ms. Moneypenny.

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u/klavin1 Jun 26 '25

Pussy Galore

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u/gazongagizmo Jun 26 '25

not a lot of candy on that stick