I agree with Villeneuve’s decision to make Chani the protagonist in part 2, because in the book Paul’s prolonged exposure to the unrefined spice further unlocks his mental capabilities, and IIRC both Jessica and Chani notice that he’s becoming increasingly aloof, and audiences need a grounded, relatable character.
Great point. I’m excited to see how Timothée plays the Paul from the last section of the book, the fearsome military leader who has lost some of his humanity. I think Timothée captured the darkness in Paul, for example in the Gom Jabbar scene, really well.