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Director John Harrison claims that his film adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel was a "faithful interpretation," in which
any changes he made served to suggest what Herbert had explained subtly or not at all. The miniseries introduces elements
not found in Herbert's novel, but as Harrison claims, it is usually to elaborate rather than to edit. Harrison's television
adaptation and David Lynch's 1984 film adaptation both depart from the content of the novel, but Harrison's treatment of Herbert's
thematic and philosophical content is usually compared favorably to the 1984 film. The miniseries preserved many elements
of the 1984 film's visual feel in its costume, set and creature design. Alec Newman portrays Paul Atreides as emotionally
immature at the start of the film, whereas in Herbert's novel, Paul is mature beyond his years throughout the narrative. In
the book, Paul was 15-18 years old, but Harrison aged the character to 18-22 in order to increase the quality of the acting
for this crucial role. The miniseries invented an extensive subplot for Princess Irulan, a character who played little
part in the plot of the first novel. Harrison felt the need to expand Irulan's role because she played such an important part
in later books, and epigraphs from her later writings opened each chapter of Dune. Additionally, the character gave
him a window into House Corrino. Besides the final scene, the only one of Irulan's appearances based on an actual excerpt
from the novel is her visit to Feyd-Rautha. However, in the book it is a different Bene Gesserit, Margot Fenring, who visits
the Harkonnen heir, on assignment from the Bene Gesserit to "preserve the bloodline" by retrieving his genetic material (through
conception) for their breeding program. The miniseries does not suggest this as Irulan's motive. The miniseries implemented
several stylistic changes. For example, Herbert's ornithopters were described birdlike, but the miniseries' used ornithopters
more closely resembled insects. The look of the spice-addicted characters' eyes was changed from Herbert's "blue within blue"
to a internally luminous appearance.
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