The recent box office hit “Dune 2” has faced criticism for lacking representation from some ethnic groups in its cast. Some critics argue that the film should have featured more Middle-Eastern and North African (MENA) cast members. Furthermore, others have expressed their disappointment that the film didn’t address Western imperialism as well.
According to the author of the “Dune” novels, Frank Herbert, his work was heavily influenced by the cultures found in Northern Africa and Islamic Middle Eastern cultures. Herbert even noted that he based the protagonist of his books on T.E. Lawrence from the 20th Century Classic “Lawrence of Arabia.”
Denis Villeneuve, the director of the cinematic adaptations, recently stated in an interview that he sought to remain as true to the original literary depictions as possible. “I tried to be as faithful as possible to the images I had in my mind when I read the book when I was young,” Villeneuve said.
The director continued, “And this idea that the world of the Fremen would be kind of inspired by culture from North Africa and the Middle East — culture that I deeply love by the way, because it’s a very complex world — there was this idea that there was something powerful that will come out from Africa in Frank Herbert’s mind.”
Villeneuve further emphasized that he wanted to be as “authentic” as possible when translating Herbert’s books to the big screen. “And I tried to respect his ideas. Which is why I did the casting the way I did. And I feel truly that I’m right in doing it this way. It feels authentic, it feels honest, and true to the book,” he added.
However, despite these noteworthy ambitions from Villeneuve to remain true to the book series, there has been criticism from some on the casting choices. For example, critics called out that the only actor playing a Fremen with links to the MENA region is Souheila Yacoub, a Swiss-born performer of Tunisian heritage. In the movie, Yacoub plays Shishakli.
“From the use of beads and prostration in prayers by the Fremen, to the almost-Arabic language, phrases pulled from religious texts and the wearing of veils, it felt like ‘Dune’ takes a heavy amount of inspiration from Islam, Middle Eastern and North African cultures yet simultaneously erases us from screen,” wrote Furvah Shah, expressing her frustration with.
Serena Rasoul, a casting director and founder of MA Casting, voiced her disappointment that more MENA actors were not on screen. “This was a missed opportunity to honor the region’s rich culture and heritage,” she said.
“This feels wrong considering the story’s cultural background, and because of this, the film misses out on accurately showing the diverse world of ‘Dune.’ It weakens the films’ integrity and cultural impact,” Sue Obeidi, director of the MPAC Hollywood Bureau weighed in on the matter.
Despite the frustrations from the handful of critics, “Dune 2” has been a smashing hit at the box office, drawing in massive audiences. According to Box Office Mojo, the film has grossed nearly $250 million domestically and almost $600 million worldwide when writing this article. Watch the trailer for Dune 2 below:
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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