Denis Villeneuve made quite a strange and bold choice in Dune to herald the entrance of House Atreides on the planet Arrakis, but it has a deeper meaning than one might think. Based on Frank Herbert's series of novels, the Dune saga has often been regarded as the pinnacle of science fiction literature. The stories have inspired multiple media adaptions including songs, films, a TV mini-series, and even video games. Villeneuve drew heavily from the source material of the book and largely shied away from imitating previous onscreen adaptations.
The story of Dune first found its way onto the big screen in 1984, with David Lynch directing. In the latest adaption of Dune, Villeneuve made several bold choices in contrast to that original filmed version and with several differences from the Dune book. The most notable difference is that the 2021 film only covered the first half of the original book (thankfully, the sequel has already been greenlit). Several lines were changed from the novel for the film, a greater emphasis was placed on Paul's individual character and the religious practices of the people of Arrakis, and while Gurney didn't get the chance to play the fictional baliset instrument in the 2021 movie, another strange instrument did appear.
Denis Villeneuve, in collaboration with composer Hans Zimmer, chose bagpipes as the royal instrument of House Atreides. Though bagpipes are commonly associated with the Scottish Highlands today, the instrument carries a much deeper history. As Zimmer explained in an interview, "If you look at their history, what can be more ancient than something that's made out of a piece of wood?" (via Inverse) Most scholars agree that the bagpipes originated in the Middle East before being taken across Europe by groups such as the Romans and Greeks. According to Dune lore, House Atreides was originally founded in Greece on Earth, so the connection to the ancient instrument is historically sound.
But the choice to use bagpipes goes even deeper. Paul mentions that his grandfather fought bulls for sport, a common activity performed in Spain. Ancient poetry from Castile, Spain in the mid-13th century depicts several types of bagpipes in illustrations and in the poetry itself. Furthermore, the natives of Arrakis await the coming of the Mahdi, Dune's Messiah who will free them from their suffering. Herbert borrowed the Mahdi title from Islam to signify a savior who will appear at the end of the world to destroy all evil and injustice. Again, as most historical scholars now agree, bagpipes were originally invented in the Persian Gulf, just south of modern-day Iran, so the instrument also links to Arabic tradition.
Zimmer and Villeneuve are masters of their respective crafts, so it's no wonder that a single choice such as this would have an incredible visual and aural impact. The sound of bagpipes is completely unexpected, and yet perfectly appropriate to enhance the story. The amalgamation of various cultures and a rich world of characters in Dune makes bagpipes the perfect choice of instrument to announce the arrival of House Atreides.