DUNE’s estimated script potential: 125–153MM

Dune is a science fiction film adapted from a 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. The film brings alive the fascinating world described in the book. However, it has a weak plot structure due to shallow character arcs. The film has reversed the order of storytelling by focussing on spectacle and music more than diction, theme, character and plot. A well-crafted plot structure can make or break a story’s impact on its audience. Plot Structure is the most important element of a story but the least understood!

· DUNE’s Plot structure is borrowed from three universal quests

· It will appeal to 3.69–4.51% of the population

Evaluation of Dune’s Plot Structure

90% of events in the script of Dune is borrowed from 3 universal quests.

Mythological tales are stories that reflect our collective subconscious desires. Each tale represents a universal quest to fulfil a fundamental human desire. By studying these tales, we can identify the various quests that make up a story. And, the interplay between them creates the plot structure. The plot structures of blockbuster, hit, and flop movies over the years has revealed a CODE for crafting engaging stories. By applying this code to a movie’s plot structure, any gaps in the script can be identified.

Adherence to the Mythosis Code

· All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. Dune borrows from 3 quests of Preservation, Tranquillity & Honour

· In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. In Dune, Paul mirrors the quest of Tranquillity. Baron mirrors the quest of Preservation. Duncan mirrors the quest of Honour. Both Leto & Jessica have underdeveloped quests. The motives of Mohiam, Chani & Stiglar have been established but no quest has been assigned to them.

· Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. In Dune, the depth of all quests is below the threshold. Baron borrows 14% of the quest of Preservation. Duncan borrows 10% of the quest of Honour. Paul borrows 30% of the quest of Tranquillity.

· Blockbusters interweave different quests to create a tight plot structure. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Dune’s quest interweaving score of 0.67 is above par. Here is an example of interweaving the quests of Paul & Duncan:

Estimation of Dune’s audience appeal

The elements of the Mythosis Code reflect the strength of the plot structure on multiple levels. A story’s relevance is measured by the number and depth of quests used. Character consistency is measured by the number of quests they mirror. The depth of mirroring reflects character complexity. Lastly, the story cohesiveness by the extent of the quests interweaving with each other. We measure the strength of the plot structure to ascertain the script’s audience appeal and potential revenue.

DUNE’s plot structure suffers from shallow character arcs. The script establishes numerous characters at the cost of creating powerful arcs for a few characters.

The potency of the existing plot structure is 0.13 whereas Blockbusters has a score of at least 0.64. Based on the plot structure score, DUNE will appeal to 3.69–4.51% of the population. Our estimate of the movie’s revenues from its audience appeal is 125–153MM in the domestic market. The film released post-pandemic generated a revenue of 110MM.

Extraction of DUNE’s plot structure with 3 mythological tales

We have found the most robust expression of universal quests in mythological tales. Each mythological tale uniquely represents a human quest to fulfil a desire. These tales are the superset of thousands of stories across cultures that reflect our collective subconscious.

Every tale has 5 major arcs culminating in a mega event. Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant tale reveals the gaps in their quest.

Quest 1: Paul mirrors the universal quest for Tranquillity

Paul’s desire for Tranquillity stems from the need to be in secure surroundings. The tale of Odysseus from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Tranquillity.

Quest 2: Baron mirrors the universal quest for Preservation

Baron’s desire for Preservation stems from the need to survive a threat. The tale of Kans from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Preservation.

Quest 3: Duncan mirrors the universal quest for Honour

Duncan’s desire for Honour stems from the need for loyalty to a clan or order. The tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.

The ideal Plot Structure can be constructed by plugging the gaps in each of the arcs with the missing events. These events will strengthen each character’s journey without altering the story.