Baron Harkonnen's New Plan Revealed in Dune Part 2

Exploring the changes made within House Harkonnen and the Baron's grand plans from book to film, what this information tells us about the Harkonnen's evolving family dynamics and how this compares to the original source material. Spoiler warning if you are unfamiliar with Frank Herbert's Dune.
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[@NerdCookies]

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[@klyanadkmorr]

I liken UK Prince Harry and his marriage the Meghan and his ties to Africa like Paul Atreides and Princess Diana his mom like Jessica. Thus the negative sinister uk palace people like the Padasha Emperor & Gala Mohiam and Harkonnen nephews like Charles, Camilla and Prince William seeking to destroy and honorable man and his wife family.

[@brianrunyon266]

I like the concept of the poison having a bigger impact on him directly, making his health issues worse.

[@CyberMongoose]

Agreed. It always felt weird to me in the book that there's such a set-up for the poisoning and then it fails without any real consequences. It looks like in part 2 the poisoning will be what makes the Baron begin searching for an heir.

[@treydixon5399]

I always felt like the poisoning was FH giving a hero's send-off to Duke Leto. He's so dominant, so decent that you can't just have him die off-screen, as it were. That and Piter had to die in order to justify placing Rabban as ruler of Arrakis, knowing whoever it was will be killed as part of the Baron's plan. Rabban is a meat-head, but he's still family.

[@skred6792]

He's supposed to be that sick from attempting to rape Jessica and she attacked him.

[@TacticalReaper56]

It feels natural too. The baron isn't some kind of unkillable god as his augments may give off.

[@ericbrett3095]

In the 1984 version the poison wiped out Piter but left the Baron unscathed. This new version brings a different dynamic into the picture.

[@hamishsewell5990]

Yeah, can definitely see how the poison gas attack might have changed and/or accelerated the barons plans for his succession

[@niellroystannard8017]

He was grooming Feyd before the loss of Arrakis fife. FACT.

[@johnshaffer3405]

In the book the Baron has a moment where he realizes that his elder nephew is more intelligent then he gave him credit for when Rabban asked a few questions of the baron that shows at least some horse sense in the "muscle bound tank brain"

[@sectorgovernor]

Interesting, so in this movie, the Baron didn't plan to 'retire' at all. He decided to search an heir suddenly and even Feyd as a successor came just randomly. The poison effect is logical change. I found strange that the Baron just escaped in time and the poison didn't affected him at all in the book

[@thundercricket4634]

It was more than that. The Baron had his personal shield active when the poison cloud was breathed at him, enough to slow down the poison enough that he was able to get away.

[@paulhunter6742]

In the first two movie adaptations (1982 and 2012) It appears Baron Harkonen completely escaped effects of poison gas released by Duke Leo upon his death. Yet, even though Baron has shield activated and anti gravity spenders moved him discretion distance. He was still in same hall and for sometime before could rescued by his people

[@jaquandrejones]

IBS is my mortal enemy. Not even Paul can help me defeat a foe so fearsome.

[@JezzaBondiBeach]

CANT WAIT FOR DUNE PART TWO 🔥

[@brown2889]

Yeah this is going to be THE FILM of 2024.

[@accolade8060]

Well, that explains the devices and tubes floating around the Baron in the latest trailer. It makes perfect sense now, and I’m good with the changes.

[@jordanayling9841]

The way actors sometimes do what Skarsgård does when he refers to the Baron in the firdt person is something that always makes me feel like they are really embodying the character. Plus the fact that Brolin had been writing poetry for cast members while getting into Gurney's headspace. It really shows that the actors and director are all on the same page and deeply understand the world tbey are portraying and the people within it.

[@PeloquinDavid]

Sounds like it will work for me (but I'll decide when I see the film...) Any film adaptation (even a series of long-ish ones like Villeneuve's expected trilogy) of such rich source material is going to have to streamline, otherwise alter or outright drop some storyline elements that a novel can easily entail. Villeneuve's films - when based on existing source material, whether a play (Incendies), a short story or novel (Arrival and Enemy) or sometimes somebody else's screenplay (Sicario for sure, maybe other of his English-language films), have always made such changes in the name of delivering a compelling film - and by large he's succeeded in my books. I trust him to work his usual magic with Dune too: to put us in a morally ambiguous world, show us the fall-out from the interactions between complex characters and let US decide how we feel about it all...

[@rafaelmazas6593]

Can’t wait for part 2. Dave Bautista is the best actor whose origins are from wrestling. I do not like the Rock. The treachery you described is so exciting to see. I’m eager for part 2. Has Nerd Cookies seen the 10 minutes of footage for the new movie? Pretty cool

[@HurricaneRainbowOG]

internally consistent and faithful to the source material. artistically coherent and seems to be well executed, so win win?

[@briannewman532]

Not sure where you’re getting that. The first film completely disregarded the source material in almost every way, and this is just more of that. It’s actually less accurate than Lynch’s version.

[@Tochi68]

@@briannewman532 "disregarded the source material in almost every way" such as?

[@jeremyevans8374]

15 days and a wake-up! 😀

[@1984-i1w]

11 days for me hehe

[@Shaitanshammer]

The Baron's love Feyd was a whole lot more than Dynastic, but we aren't allowed to notice that in this adaption. I mean the Syfy Channel version actually was very blunt about that shockingly.

[@ericbrett3095]

This changes the dynamic completely. In the 1984 version no mention about Fyed or Rabban being the heir apparent was mentioned or implied. The gas attack only wiped out Piter but left the baron unscathed. There are a lot of ifs in this version and that is what makes it so exciting.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

I just got home, seen this post and had to watch first. Thanks Elaine.

[@Smartion]

Awesome content … real nicely delivered :) as always Thank you 🙏

[@c.ladimore1237]

my only complaint about part 1 was that piter was a wasted character

[@sectorgovernor]

Same

[@timothymorgan1175]

I love that Leto got the last strike on The Baron,and it hurt him,this time. It will be interesting how the change plays out in Part 2.

[@davezdude3200]

Strictly speaking, Yueh was responsible for the last strike on the Baron, but I take your point...

[@sectorgovernor]

Canon or not, but based on the prequel material, Rabban was way more cruel than Feyd. Also he was more egoist and proud when he was younger(not as much as Feyd though) , so used to he actually had the ambition of becoming the Baron. But the Baron threatened him, so I think that was the point where Rabban became obedient and just followed orders. He really didn't have the brain capacity for diplomacy, plotting and politics though.

[@AdegaOutlaw]

Feel better

[@AdastraRecordings]

Lets not forget the internal dialog of the Baron with regard to Pitor, he didn't trust him and thought he may have to kill Pitor himself at some point, but he remained useful so the Baron put up with his often impertinent remarks.

[@Age_of_Apocalypse]

👍👍👏 for the video! I was a little disturbed by the last video where we learned that The Lady Jessica and Chani may take bigger role - than in the book - in Part 2, BUT I really like what we learn in this video with getting a little bit more of Baron Harkonnen in the coming movie.

[@Age_of_Apocalypse]

I'm not sure what the Baron Harkonnen sees in Feyd Rautha in the arena; in the book, we learned that he's a (very) good fighter, BUT still, the fights are arranged so that he will always win (i.e. saying a WORD) that will disorient his adversary. 😞

[@forrestpenrod2294]

Same way the Baron invaded Arakkis only when the outcome was fixed. If I remember from the book the Baron sees himself in Feyd more than anyone else and believes Feyd may some day even exceed his own cunning.

[@koko40800]

The Baron knows Feyd will win the fights, he's just checking out his backside ;-)

[@Burnthealphabetpeople]

he proved himself by fighting the atradies lieutenant undrugged

[@davezdude3200]

I think the film changes work for a motion picture adaptation because one does not have to "waste" time with the assassination attempt side plot (which was, in part, premised on the Baron's perversion and debauchery). Instead, you get to the same point in the plot much more efficiently. While Part One showed the Baron's cruelty, cunning, and barbarity, the themes of his gluttony, perversion, and sexual deviance were not, strictly speaking, necessary to move the overall story along. I'm looking forward to seeing Austin Butler's interpretation of Feyd after his roles in Elvis and Masters of the Air...

[@AnthonyKendrick-n1c]

I think the Barron has a twisted sexuial interest in Feyd-Rautha & favours him above all including his brother the Beast, It will be interesting to watch how his actions play out in this adaptation

[@TheMister123]

The thing about the book is, despite its length and the amount of world-building that it gave us, several characters were given precious little attention. Rabban is one of those characters. He appears in one short scene in the entire book, and is only alluded to once or twice more after that. Any adaptation that gives him more than a couple of lines is a departure from the book. But I think it's wise to expand the roles of certain characters beyond what is included in the book. Otherwise you end up hiring bit actors for a bit role and their importance is diminished. In a book, you can include characters that have a small word count dedicated to them, yet have a large impact on the narrative. In a movie, that's difficult to pull off. A similar thing occurred in the two previous Dune adaptations regarding Irulan. In the '85 version, Irulan only appears at the beginning and the end (and maybe one other scene), but even then it's more than she appears in the book, excluding all of the quotes from her books which begin each chapter. It's not enough. Just a couple of scenes with Virginia Madsen having zero facial expression. But in the 2000 miniseries, they expand her role greatly, and IMO quite a bit more than necessary. Her subplots in the miniseries are frankly overbearing and unnecessary. It didn't need to be like that. From what I can tell, though, Villeneuve has arrived at a happy medium, both for Rabban and for Irulan.

[@ConkerKing]

I think the Black toothed woman from the trailer is set up as a favourite for Feyd, whom he then has to kill on the Baron's orders, implying the notion of Feyd being a victim of the Baron as much of a product...

[@charlesbritzman501]

Beast Rabban is like Mongo in Blazing Saddles. But can you imagine a man like that in that human universe of highly trained, highly skilled adepts ? He can sense the presence of things he’ll never understand ,what anyone is talking about, unless they boil it down to instructions for him.. And thru it all, he’s peering thru an “ever bright hole in the door, eats in the corner, talks to the floor”. (From Tull) If the Bene Gesserit or the Suk School could gift him with a three digit IQ, he could groomed into a formidable and motivated opponent for Baron Feyd.

[@michaeld8304]

Great video as always!

[@JamesLaserpimpWalsh]

lol. "Tank brained nephew." love it. Fanx for the vid.

[@koko40800]

There were other possible layers to Rabban as well... In the book Rabban asked the Baron a sharp question ("Does the Emperor know you suborned a Suk Doctor?") and the Baron thought "That was a penetrating question. Have I misjudged this nephew?"

[@poplife123]

Fantastic cinematography..... Beautifully crafted....at last a film that does yhe the book justice.....❤

[@beauhancock4922]

Seeing part 2 early on the 25th of Feb. I was so excited to get them that I accidentally bought tickets to the IMAX re-release of part one a few days later because I thought they moved up the screening date. If it's not already apparent, I'm all caught up in the hype!!!

[@shanenolan5625]

I think the poison is unnecessary. The baron was already partially disabled due to his weight and health issues. This kissing feyd boot is curious. I imagine it will have something to do eith the succession and being passed over. Homage or die . ( probably after saying something unwise) . But rabban wasn't as stupid as people assumed. He was the first to recognise the freman were a force to be reckoned with . The Fenrings lived on dune and thry did foresee the problem.

[@sectorgovernor]

Rabban wasn't completely hopeless and the Baron knew this. Before Feyd was born, he was the planned successor and even after Feyd came into the picture he kept Rabban for pretty long. Interesting, in House Harkonnen novel there is a part where the Baron is thinking about Rabban as the next Baron. He think Rabban maybe will need two Mentats instead of one but he can deal with the ruling. He also thought Rabban will be more cruel ruler than even himself.

[@shanenolan5625]

@@sectorgovernor yes in those books it seems rabban was heir apparent. Until he made that embarrassing assault on caladan. With moritani. ( gruman ) .

[@sectorgovernor]

@@shanenolan5625 no, if I remember well it wasn't actually a big mistake. Rabban retreated in time, though Moritani wanted to continue the attack. Funny but Rabban was more reasonable than Moritani. No, his biggest mistake was when he killed his father without the Baron 's permission. That was when the Baron realized Rabban is dangerous and can be a threat against him, so he punished Rabban that he never try to conspire against him

[@shanenolan5625]

@@sectorgovernor yes but I imagine being talked into the attack was s problem as well . Had it worked I'm sure all would be forgiven. The father yes , the beast title. But Vladimir killed his mother the day he took over the barony. ( she conspired to have him killed snd successed to kill his father) encyclopedia * . But feyd tried to assassinate the baron as well. It didn't disqualify him . He did back out or was reasonable, but he was also wrong or fooled by hawat . Caladan was defenceless. Holographic defences *

[@uknowbass]

Both Beast and Feyd are the children of Baron’s 1/2 brother, Abulurd, from Lankiviel. The Baron is into young males and usually kills them after sex.

[@RodneyGraves]

Saw you on Chris Gore's live stream last night. When will we see your review of Dune Part 2?

[@mckid2683]

I'm soooo stoked for Dune 2! So much so that I already want the 3rd movie based on the 2nd book as well right away which is really gonna make it a super long wait for it in reality

[@shanenolan5625]

Thanks Elaine

[@kenaustinardenol1338]

As far as I can remember Rabban would do the dirty on Arrakis, and on a certain moment Feyd would be sent as savior. Never gave it much thought after that. It was interesting of course to find out Paul and Feyd were cousins, so somewhere along the genetic lines Feyd was not even that far off from being a kwisatz haderach himself. Question: did the Baron know, and did he know what the sisters planted on Arrakis Mahdi-wise? Did he want to profit from that knowledge to forever keep the hold on Dune and its spice? Did he foresee a possible mariage to the house of the emperor and see his, though indirect offspring, becoming emperors themselves? It would not surprise me.

[@BenjaminSpencer-m1k]

The Harkonen are the idea Aristocratic family already powerful but always desiring more and not lacking in ability to achieve it. Don't know if they will reveal that Paul is the Barons grandson I think this was extremely important for him to be the Kwisatz Haderach, the idea was that Fayed would marry a Atradies women and then produce it but how the hell the Bene Gesirrit who have created the breeding program and had overseen every detail even the smallest somehow lose track that Lady Jessica was the Barons daughter? Advancing the program by a whole generation?

[@calvinlawrence2184]

i DISAGREE, the Baron was always going to Kill Piter cause he knew to much. Feyd was to be the next in line to Rule the House.The Baron would remove the Beast by having him Rule with an iron fist, then Feyd would come in as the peoples savior. Wasn't the attempt on the Barons life by Feyd was in the prequel book House Harkonnen?

[@torhagen]

My biggest beef still Harkonnen are inhuman by principle I hope that It will be clearly displayed in the coming movie

[@jw-hy5nq]

The mentat Pytr Devreis was a gola, He was not in the line of succession.

[@marknovak6498]

I wish they have kept the book's perspective. It was deeper and less rash.

[@NR-rv8rz]

These changes seem more like a flourish on V's part. They don't derail the Dune lore in any significant way. Though Piter is not a Harkonen by birth is he? And not in the Baron's blood line so it seems unrealistic to believe the Baron would hand the planet over to him. After all, he's a Mentat and it might not be easy for Feyed to get it back off him.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@NerdCookies >>> Great video...👍

[@joelwitherspoon930]

Feyd and Rabban reminds me so much of Saddam Hussein's sons

[@vladmods]

The Baron was more interesting in the book and in the Lynch version, even though the Lynch version was also different.

[@BudTocks]

Piter de Vries could never succeed the Baron. He was a twisted Mentat bought from the Bene Tleilax. Feyd was always going to be his successor. The Baron's ultimate goal was to place House Harkonen on the Imperial Throne. The Baron's shield saved him from the poison.

[@sectorgovernor]

The Baron didn't want Piter as his successor, he wanted to sacrifice him(not Rabban), he knew the Fremen won't like his rule. Yes, Piter was smarter than Rabban, but he had the same (or even worse) sadistic tendencies.

[@TillionTirrion]

Another interesting take, I liked the first film and am looking forward to the release of the second half. Even more so with each successive video of yours, good stuff as always.

[@smoore6461]

Did Dune need to be changed? Did frank herbert make some big mistake? IDK the more i hear thr more i think Villenuve thinks he knows better than frank did. To each their own of course, i dont feel dune needed to be changed or reimagined or "fixed". Maybe theg should have made a movie out of the brian herbert stuff instead.

[@Age_of_Apocalypse]

If Part ONE, Denis Villeneuve made a few changes to the exception of ONE, I had no problem. To mention one change, the beginning of the movie is different from the book and I think it was a very good change, more logical. 😍 The change that I didn't like was Liet-Kynes begin race/swap from a white man to a black female; if you have read the book, it's problematic. 😏

[@Belladonna-ot3to]

@@Age_of_ApocalypseWhy and how is the Liet-Kynes change problematic?

[@Age_of_Apocalypse]

@@Belladonna-ot3to Because in the book, there is way more information about Liet-Kynes than in the movie!

[@Belladonna-ot3to]

@@Age_of_Apocalypse I’ve read the book, the character could be played by a man or woman of any ethnicity so what does that have anything to do with it?

[@smoore6461]

@@Age_of_Apocalypse Paul and chani shared several things that brought them closer together. One of those things was the loss of their FATHERS to Harkonen Trechery. The actress who played Kynes was a good actress, I have no issue with her performance except that it should have never happened. There was just a video i saw not long ago talking about how Chani would be changed and torn between her loyalty to the Fremen and her love of paul... nope, never happened, Chani did not kill Urilan (who poisoned her, and she knew probably cost her her life) because paul asked her not to. I'll say i think the movie was good. It was well filmed and it looked beautiful, but I'm going to say I'm uncomfortable with villenuve putting forth the idea that he knows more about the Dune universe and knows better than Frank Herbert how the story should play out. Part 2 will likely be a good movie, but I'm going to reserve my whole judgment until it's out. I am still uneasy with the changes being made by Villenuve. Like I said. To each their own. I LOVE Dune, I think it was a masterpiece and didn't need to be changed. But that's just my opinion and my personal feelings.

[@sgt.grinch3299]

March 1, 2024!

[@iPlay4Keeps809]

I should make an AI KZbin channel like this lol

[@shaneashby5890]

I have always enjoyed the portrayal of a psychopath.

[@lawrencereid2767]

First

[@jasonabc]

lol well everybody has a plan until they are punched in the mouth...spoiler alert the baron going down before his "plan" even remotely has a chance to start

[@thestanleys3657]

🤓🍪🍪

[@ReiMonCoH]

“Original source material “ Wait, you mean the Actual story? See, Frank Herbert’s book is the Actual story, this is just another crappy version of a story that this PoS director thought he could improve by Changing it. Seriously, WtF is the problem? He read the book, just make THAT. That’s the story. It’s been written down for 50 years. What is this BS with these clowns changing the story? No one cares about your Version of the story. Just make the Story

[@koko40800]

No book, let alone a complex epic like 'Dune', can ever be adapted to a screenplay without some cuts and changes, genius...why is it that every criticism of this film, on every page, seems to come from the biggest halfwits?

[@koko40800]

Lets put it this way, b/c you obviously don't (or can't) think like a film maker...it's much easier and clearer cinematically, to make Baron appoint Feyd as his successor due to illness, then have to go into all the book's secret plans of installing Rabban first as brutal ruler and then 'savior Feyd', playing "bad cop - good cop"...first of all it's very difficult for the Baron to express a secret plan like that (which in the book he told nobody, not even Piter), without resorting to the cheesy 'thinking out loud' of the 1984 film

[@briannewman532]

“New plan” How is there a new plan? I thought this was supposed to be based on the novel Dune, by Frank Herbert? Why can’t these directors just film the fucking story the way it’s written, instead of trying the “improve” it? Denis Villeneuve is NOT Frank Herbert, and should stop thinking he is anywhere close to being his peer.

[@irishnotsane9365]

So once again he’s destroying what made the story great and completely destroying a great storyline that was easy to follow. Also he’s copying DUNE 1984 (which you hated) so again tell me how this is DUNE? Such a great fall for what should be great

[@dickdastardly5534]

Will there be a spin off of at home with the Harkonnens - that would be winner I reckon.

[@seannicholson8498]

New plan???? That makes no sense