Dune

The film features deliberate identity-focused casting choices to increase modern representation. Most notably, the character of Dr. Liet Kynes, who was a man in the original book, was gender-swapped and race-swapped to be played by black actress Sharon Duncan-Brewster. Additionally, the native Fremen characters are portrayed by a highly diverse, ethnically varied cast. While the setting is a futuristic galaxy where diverse demographics make sense, the creators openly acknowledged that these casting choices were driven by a desire to boost female representation and inject modern diversity into a historically masculine story.

The film mostly avoids explicit modern activist dialogue or social justice lecturing. The characters speak in ways that match the fictional sci-fi setting and the politics of the warring houses. Some minor dialogue, such as Chani's opening voiceover about foreign rulers exploiting her planet's resources, leans into themes of colonial occupation. However, this remains strictly framed within the lore of Arrakis rather than breaking the fourth wall with present-day political jargon.

The primary narrative remains faithful to Paul Atreides' hero's journey and messianic rise. However, the writers intentionally amplified certain identity-driven themes. This includes framing the story with what the director called "seeds of feminism" by emphasizing the soft power of Lady Jessica and the Bene Gesserit sisterhood. The changing of Liet Kynes into a woman also shifts her thematic role from a paternal figure to a maternal, protective guardian of Arrakis. Still, these elements are integrated into the plot and do not overshadow the core sci-fi narrative.

The film features strong anti-colonial and environmentalist themes, portraying the native Fremen as oppressed people fighting against foreign, resource-exploiting empires (the Harkonnens and Atreides). This critiques colonial greed and resource extraction, which can mirror modern critiques of Western imperialism. However, these themes are deeply baked into Frank Herbert's 1965 novel and are not heavily reframed into modern activist jargon or present-day identity politics. The focus remains on a classic sci-fi critique of absolute power and the corruption of ruling classes.

A major change was made to the established canon by turning Dr. Liet Kynes into a woman. In the original book, Kynes is a male Imperial ecologist and the father of Chani. By changing Kynes to a black woman, the filmmakers broke with the source material's family lineage—severing the explicit father-daughter link with Chani in this movie—and changed the character's dynamic. The creators openly stated this change was made for ideological reasons, specifically to bring more female voices and modern diversity into what they perceived as a male-dominated story world.

There was noticeable online backlash from book purists and anti-woke commentators who objected to the gender-swapping and race-swapping of Liet Kynes. Critics argued that changing Kynes was a forced concession to modern DEI standards that altered the lore and disrupted the established family connections. Some also criticized the casting of Zendaya as Chani, fearing she would become a "girlboss" vehicle, and complained about the general push for modern representation. However, the backlash did not dominate the film's overall reception, as many viewers and critics praised the film's visual scale and faithfulness.

The key creative team has a mixed track record with some progressive leanings. Writer Jon Spaihts has actively championed DEI and modern representation in his screenwriting, while writer Denis Villeneuve has expressed support for progressive causes but generally prefers nuanced storytelling over blatant activism. Other major contributors, such as Frank Herbert and Mary Parent, have low scores, keeping the overall creative context moderate rather than heavily activist-driven.