Denis Villeneuve avoided one Sandworm riding detail that would have been confusing as hell for normal moviegoers

Dune: Part Two is one cinematic marvel, not just because of the story and performances, but also because of how Denis Villeneuve adapted the elements from the books. For instance, the film included the scene where Paul Atreides finally gains mastery over the sandworms and becomes a Sandrider. However, Villeneuve intentionally removed one plothole from the scene, which could have caused significant confusion among the viewers.

Timothée Chalamet in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two
Dune 2 has already surpassed the box office collection of Villeneuve’s first film. By the end of the third week of its run, the film grossed $494.7 million at the global box office, closing in on the $500 million milestone.

Denis Villeneuve Didn’t Show One Major Dune Plothole In His Film

Paul Atreides riding the sandworm in Dune: Part Two
The sandworms of Arrakis unleash their destruction upon anyone who crosses their territory. Except for the mysterious Fremen people, no one has lived to tell the tale after seeing a sandworm. For Paul Atreides to establish himself as the spiritual and political leader of the Fremens, he needed to gain control over the sandworms. This scene where Timothée Chalamet‘s character masters a sandworm is a crucial one in Denis Villeneuve‘s epic Dune sequel.

However, a few fans wondered how the Fremens, or Paul, got down from a moving sandworm. Villeneuve’s film showed Paul riding the monster and then walking up to his destination. Non-book readers even speculated whether the characters were thrown off from the sandworms when they reached their destination.

According to some movie lovers who knew the source material, it was a brilliant move from Villeneuve to skip showing that part in the film (via Instagram). Many believed the explanation of ending one’s Sandriding journey in the books was utterly idiotic.

For context, the Fremens of Arrakis measured their distances in ‘sandworms’. It was the distance one could ride on a worm until the creature was exhausted and allowed to submerge. This meant that a 20-worm ride would be a far journey. This would have been a confusing explanation for normal moviegoers as they might still want to know how the sandriding could take them to a particular destination.

Nevertheless, the Sandriding scene cements Paul Atreides’s position as a messiah among the Fremen people. The sandworms become an important weapon for Paul in his war against the Harkonnens.

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune 2 Closes In On $500 Million At Global Box Office

Timothée Chalamet’s Dune: Part 2 has been going strong at the box office as it now approaches another milestone
According to Deadline, Dune 2 has grossed $494.7 million at the box office, out of which $289.4 million came from overseas. The film collected $104 million from its IMAX format globally, becoming the 15th film to cross $100 million in IMAX. The weekly drop numbers for the film have been terrific, considering the film just completed its third week at the box office.

Besides Dune 2, the other major player in theaters this week was Kung Fu Panda 4, which grossed a total of $176.5 million at the end of its second week. This weekend, the Jack Black-led film led with a $30 million collection, with Dune 2 trailing behind with $29.1 million (via Deadline). However, the Villeneuve sequel only dropped by 37% in its third week, while Kung Fu Panda 4 dropped by 48% in its second week.

Dune, the first film, is now available for streaming on Max. Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2 are now available for streaming on Peacock Premium. Kung Fu Panda 3 is available for streaming on Netflix.