Gom Jabbar: The Past, Present, and Future of Dune

Hosts: Abu & Leo (Lore Party Media)
Date: December 19, 2025
Summary by podcast summarizer

Episode Overview

In this special end-of-year episode, Abu and Leo take a broad look across the Dune universe as it stands in 2025: reflecting on the latest HBO series, the ongoing film saga from Denis Villeneuve, developments in print media, and the state of video game adaptation Dune: Awakening. They also look ahead to 2026, previewing Dune Part 3 and what’s on the horizon for fans. The atmosphere is both celebratory and candid, with recurring threads of humor, critique, and deep-dive passion for all things Dune.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dune: Prophecy (HBO Series)

Season 1 Recap & Community Reaction

• Season 1 concluded in early 2025
• Hosts reflect on their fun collaborations with other Dune creators and analysts: Nerd Cookies, Quinn, Alt Shift X.
• Critical response:
  • Rotten Tomatoes: 65%; Metacritic: 65%
  • Praised for production design and some strong performances
  • Criticized for pacing issues, inconsistent writing, and uneven character development
    • “The writing was very hit or miss and character development was kind of all over the place.” – Leo (05:24)
  • Leo enjoyed much of it despite some distracting elements (“the Ixian person in the alleyway... I hated that…” 06:19), while Abu felt “ultimately disappointed” but hopeful for Season 2 (06:42).

Season 2 Preview

• Officially renewed December 2024
• Filming began November 2025
• Expanded to 8 episodes (from 6 in Season 1)
  • “One of my biggest critiques… was the pacing and the issues with how few episodes we had... So I’m glad to see Season 2 potentially expanding and having a bit more room to breathe.” – Abu (08:55)
• New cast: Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Tom Hollander, Ashley Walters
• Release glimpse in 2026 HBO sizzle reel
• Mixed feelings about casting headlines: generally positive about Indira Varma but unmoved unless “it’s fucking Chris Pratt as anything — he can get fucked.” – Leo (10:54)

2. Dune Part 2 (Film, 2024) & its Oscars Run

Awards & Recognition

• Hosts unanimously declare Part 2 superior to Part 1 – “What a fucking good movie.” – Leo (12:44)
• Nominated for only five Academy Awards (compared to 10 for Part 1); won Sound and Visual Effects
  • “It won...sound and visual effects which, yeah, both very much deserved it. Incredible.” – Leo (13:23)
• Notable Oscar moment:
  • Sound designer Gareth John calls director Denis Villeneuve “the best director you could ever work for” during his acceptance (15:14)
• Both hosts feel Villeneuve was snubbed for Best Director:
  • “He’s the one driving it... I do, yeah, I think he was snubbed.” – Leo (15:53)
  • “He seems like a generally lovely person to work with... he should have been nominated for the Oscar. But we’ll see, maybe he will for Part Three.” – Abu (15:58)

3. Dune Print Media in 2025

Comics & Graphic Novels

• House Corrino Comics:

  • Completed and collected as a trade paperback.
  • Hosts critique inconsistent art and a “cash grab” feel.
    • “Some of the art is gorgeous and some of it has, like, big fat sausage fingers.” – Leo (16:48)
    • “Don’t spend your money on them.” – Leo (18:07 )

• Edge of a Crysknife collection:

  • Explores Shadout Mapes and her son Samos
  • Art quality and storytelling again mixed to middling; recommended as a library perusal, not a purchase

Folio Society Editions

• Children of Dune and God Emperor of Dune released in lavish collector’s editions ($115 each)
  • “They look so fucking gorgeous. They look so good. They are firing on all cylinders over there.” – Leo (20:49)
  • “I don’t think these are the kind of books you throw in your backpack; these go on a shelf and look gorgeous.” – Abu (22:10)

4. Dune: Awakening (MMO Video Game)

Release & Initial Reception

• Launched in 2025; set in an alternate-timeline Arrakis
• Strong launch (140k+ players), but struggled to retain player base despite selling over a million copies
  • “Player retention has cratered.” – Leo (26:02)

Gameplay Experience & Critiques

• Setting, lore, and worldbuilding are praised
• Biggest criticisms:
  • Gameplay loop feels more generic survival/crafting than truly Dune
    • “It feels very like a survival game with this sort of Dune veneer.” – Leo (27:06)
  • Frustration with bugs, PvP-centric late game, and grind/maintenance loops
  • Base upkeep mechanics likened to real-life chores rather than escapism
    • “Do all of that in real life... I’m not looking for that in my video games.” – Abu (33:01)
• Funcom (developer) has improved and adjusted elements based on player feedback but hasn't fundamentally revitalized interest
• Awaiting substantial story expansion; both hosts would return for major narrative DLC

5. Looking Ahead: The Future of Dune

Dune Part 3 (Villeneuve’s Final Film)

• Finished filming (November 2025), shot in Hungary, Jordan, UAE, and major soundstages

• Villeneuve remains secretive but main returning/confirmed cast:

  • Timothée Chalamet (Paul)
  • Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica) – Jessica’s role may be expanded via flash-forwards/future visions
  • Jason Momoa (Duncan Idaho / Hayt)
    • “If you didn’t read the books, it’s not my fault... I’m gonna be back.” – Jason Momoa (35:47)
  • Robert Pattinson cast as Scytale (“Such a great casting choice.” – Abu [38:24])
  • Nakoa-Wolf Momoa (Jason's son) as Leto II, Ayda Brook as Ghanima — speculation this may be for future/vision sequences rather than full Children of Dune adaptation

• Release date likely to move up to avoid competing with a new Avengers film (potentially September 2026)

  • “I think Marvel movies...still consume the box office. It’s too risky... to release your big budget, huge movie on the same exact day.” – Abu (47:47)

• Confirmed time jump; Chalamet to play a version of Paul 15-20 years older (50:20)

Speculations & Host Hopes

• Likelihood of seeing alternative futures/visions (inclusion of Leto II and Ghanima)
• Unlikeliness of Messiah/Children adaptation merger in one film
• Excitement for “dark, aged-up” Paul
  • “I can’t wait to see Emperor Paul Atreides and aged up Paul and really depressed Paul. It’s gonna be awesome.” – Abu (51:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dune Prophecy’s production drama:

  • “Like, the number of times the showrunners swapped out, the executive producers swapped out, the main cast swapped out... It was chaos.” – Leo (07:44)

• On Dune Part 2’s Oscar performance:

  • “What a pittance. What a scraps from the table, just five. Only five. Should have been thirty.” – Leo (12:59)

• On Dune print releases:

  • “If you're interested in them, just go to Barnes & Noble, get yourself a hot chocolate … and read them.” – Leo (17:55)

• On MMO frustration:

  • “I do all of that in real life, I’m not looking for that in my video games.” – Abu (33:04)

• On casting Robert Pattinson as Scytale:

  • “That's a fucking great call. Pattinson is so good … Scytale being this sort of disarmingly...the most dangerous person... That's great.” – Leo (38:21)

• On Dune's 2025 state:

  • “This year was kind of like a holding pattern, wait and see. Dune is in the subconsciousness, but maybe not in the consciousness. I think 2026—it’s going to be back in the forefront.” – Abu (58:35)

Timestamps for Major Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |----------------------------------------------|------------| | Welcome, Episode Theme | 00:11 | | Spoiler & Content Warning | 01:34 | | Film & TV Recap Start | 04:33 | | Dune: Prophecy Season 1 Recap | 04:47 | | Season 2 Renewal, Casting News, Release | 08:41 | | Dune Part 2 (Villeneuve Film), Oscars | 12:14 | | Best Director Snub, Villeneuve | 15:14 | | Dune Comics & Graphic Novels | 16:47 | | Folio Society Collector’s Editions | 20:43 | | Dune: Awakening Game Overview | 24:39 | | Gameplay Deep Dive & Critiques | 25:43 | | Late Game, Player Retention | 28:07 | | Future: Dune Part 3 Details | 35:12 | | Casting Revelations (Pattinson, Momoa Jr.) | 38:21 | | Potential Story Structures, Time Jump | 44:52 | | Marvel Competition, Release Date Rumors | 47:45 | | Speculation on Messiah Time Jump | 50:20 | | Host Reflections: State of Dune in 2025 | 58:35 | | Community/Discord Shoutouts, Outro | 58:41 - end|

Closing Thoughts

2025 was a transitional year for the Dune fandom:

• Dune Prophecy overcame a turbulent birth but promises more in Season 2
• Villeneuve’s Dune films remain the cornerstone of modern sci-fi cinema, despite Oscar politics
• Print media thrives with gorgeous collector editions, if not always with narrative innovation
• Dune: Awakening appeals most to MMO/survival fans rather than those seeking deep narrative, but Funcom’s responsiveness is acknowledged
• Looking ahead, 2026 promises a huge resurgence with Dune Part 3 and new TV episodes

Hosts’ Tone:

• Lively, irreverent, and deeply invested—balancing critique with celebration and never shying from in-jokes or strong opinions.

Final Takeaway:
Dune fandom is alive and thriving, waiting at the threshold of another wave of cinematic, televisual, and cultural impact—“If you’re not on the Dune bandwagon yet, get on, folks. There’s plenty of room.” (Abu, 58:39)