Dune
EST V ACT domestic box office revenue
$125 – 153MM V $110MM
Mythosis universal quests used
3
Audience appeal
3.69 – 4.51%
Script Score
0.13
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.
1. The invisible plot structure of Dune
1A. The script of Dune borrows 90% of its events from 3 mythological tales
Paul’s quest is driven by the desire to be in a safe environment. The quest borrows events from the tale of Odysseus in Greek mythology. Odysseus and Paul navigate their way back through hostile environment.
Baron’s quest is driven by the desire to survive a threat. The quest borrows events from the tale of Kans in Hindu mythology. Both Kans & Baron fail to kill their nemesis and pay the price.
Duncan’s quest is driven by the desire for honour & loyalty. The quest borrows events from the tale of Hanuman in Hindu mythology. Both Hanuman & Duncan demonstrate loyalty, showing a willingness to sacrifice themselves.
Leto & Jessica have underdeveloped quests. The motives of Mohiam, Chani & Stiglar have been established but no quest has been assigned to them.
NOTE: Detailed mirroring of each character’s primary quest to their respective mythological tales is in section “3A. Quests of characters and their mythological counterparts”
Mythosis plot structure
# 22,681
Tales interweaved
Kans, Hanuman & Odysseus
I. How does interweaving mythological tales lead to infinite story plots?
II. Can the pursuit of a Desire have more than one quest?
2. The potential of Dune's plot structure: $125 – 153MM
The interweaving of 32 mythological tales can generate a billion unique stories. By using these 32 tales, we can extract the plot structure of any story across various genres. Our study of blockbuster, hit, and flop plot structures led to the discovery of the Mythosis Code, a set of principles for creating compelling stories. The plot structure of a story is analyzed to see how well it adheres to these storytelling principles.
2A. Plot structure evaluation of Dune
- All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. The script uses 2 universal quests of Tranquillity & Preservation. The quest of Honour is sparingly used.
- 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.
- 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 have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Dune’s quest interweaving score of 0.67 is above par.
An example of interweaving the quests of Paul & Duncan:
2B. Box office revenue estimation of Dune
The Dune’s plot structure follows one universal quest with a bunch of shallow quests thrown in.
The Script Score measures a plot structure’s adherence to the four principles of Mythosis Code. We use the Script Score to estimate a movie’s audience appeal & revenues. Blockbuster plot structures have a score of at least 0.64 and appeal to 20% of the audiences.
Script Score
0.13
Audience appeal
12.24 – 14.96%
I. How is Mythosis Code used to estimate revenues?
II. Aren’t box-office revenues influenced by several factors beyond just the story plot?
3. The ideal plot structure of Dune
We have identified 32 mythological tales, the superset of all tales across cultures. The quests of these tales have also recurred over time periods. They represent human behaviours that are deeply embedded in our shared memories. Each tale is the richest expression of the pursuit of a human desire. The tales have a unique pattern of events spread over 5 major arcs.
Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant mythological tale reveals the gaps in their quest, if any. Plugging these gaps with the missing events deepens the character quest. The missing events also provide an opportunity for interweaving the various quests. These events strengthen the story and unlock its hidden potential.
3A.Quest of characters and their mythological counterparts
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.
3B.Gaps in the current plot structure
The gap in Dune’s plot structure arises from shallow quests of all characters except Paul.
3C.Unlocking the hidden potential
The plot of Dune is a subset of Mythosis plot structure # 22,681. It emerges from interweaving the tales of Kans, Hanuman & Odysseus.
Contact us for Mythosis plot structure # 22,681.
Tags: Odysseus, Tranquillity, Kans, Preservation, Hanuman, Honour, Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth, Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, 2021