Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel “Dune” is a science-fiction classic that influenced the subsequent development of the genre. Dune is back in headlines following the 2021 film reboot, which is the second most nominated film at the Oscars this year. Herbert has faced criticism for his protagonist Paul Atreides who is a white messiah figure to the Indigenous people of planet Arrakis. At a roundtable conversation with a group of journalists, director Denis Villeneuve responded to the longstanding view that the source material glorified the white savior trope. “It’s a criticism of the idea of a savior, of someone that will come and tell another population how to be, what to believe,”' he said.