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Dune Trailer Made Subtle Reference to House Atreides' Ancient Roots


Have you been rewatching the first trailer for the Dune adaptation in hopes of finding some interesting Easter Eggs? Here's a cool one that book readers are likely to have picked up on. The teaser for the Denis Villeneuve film actually had a subtle reference to the ancient roots of the House Atreides that was brought up in the second novel.

In the Dune trailer, there is a shot of Duke Leto Atreides still at home in Caladan where he briefly touches what appears to be a Greek tablet. This scene is clearly from the early part of the movie before House Atreides moves to Arrakis. It also suggests that Leto is uncertain about the move but believes he is doing it for the good of his family.

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Credit: Warner Bros.

This may seem like a minor detail but it's also a cool way that Villeneuve made sure fans would be mystified about the origins of House Atreides. The scene plays at the same time that the Reverend Mother mentions that Paul Atreides' ancestors failed to control people. It's a direct reference to the House's most famous ancestor Agamemnon, who is mentioned in Dune Messiah.

So why bring up Agamemnon in the first place? In addition to House Atreides claiming greatness by declaring that they are descendants of the Greek king, Leto's story is somehow in parallel with Agamemnon's as his fall was caused by someone he trusted. We won't spoil anything more but it's something to look forward to in Dune.

Dune premieres on December 18.

Related: Dune Actor Oscar Isaac Makes Epic Star Wars Reference While Describing Josh Brolin

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