BLADE RUNNER 2049 Director Denis Villeneuve Has Revealed That He Will Make "At Least Two" DUNE Movies

BLADE RUNNER 2049 Director Denis Villeneuve Has Revealed That He Will Make "At Least Two" DUNE Movies

ARRIVAL director Denis Villeneuve, is attempting what many have before: adapting Frank Herbert's DUNE. Some may ask how even he, could contain the book in a single film. Well he's just revealed, he wont be

By FromACertainPOV - Mar 09, 2018 12:03 PM EST
Filed Under: Dune
Source: The Playlist

Now that he's achieved the unprecedented, and delivered a Blade Runner sequel that stands shoulder to shoulder with the original, illustrious director Denis Villeneuve is turning his sights toward another lofty endeavor. A new adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal science-fiction novel, DUNE. 

Dune published in 1965, was first adapted to the silver screen in 1984 by auteur director David Lynch, that film only had a passing resemblance to the novel however and was received less than warmly upon it's release.  Since then there have been a number of low budget TV miniseries and various on again, off again feature film projects. 

It seemed that Frank Herbert's novel, would never get it's proper due on film.  

Then in 2016, when Legendary Entertainment acquired the rights to the story of Paul Atreides; steward of the desert world Arrakis and future messiah, it was announced that Arrival director Denis Villeneuve would helm the project, with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button scribe Eric Roth on scripting duties.  

While much is still unknown about the project at this point, while speaking at Rendez-Vous du Cinema Quebecois, Villeneuve revealed that "Dune will probably take two years to make. The goal is to make two films, maybe more." This is unsurprising if you're familiar with the source material, as any piece of genre fiction that requires a glossary is sure to be a large undertaking. 

It's unclear however, if Villeneuve means that those two films will be adapting solely the first book, or if the plan is to dip into the many sequels and prequels that Herbert and his son wrote. With at least two years until the film is released, only time will tell.   

What do you think? Are you excited for Villeneuve's DUNE? Are you happy there'll be more than one entry? Who would you like to see play Paul? Leave your thoughts below. 

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Kumkani
Kumkani - 3/9/2018, 12:52 PM
Tonight I'm gonna watch Blade Runner (the Final Cut).

That's the best one to watch, right?
Cjosh
Cjosh - 3/9/2018, 12:55 PM
@BlindWedjat - yes it is indeed
rexlincoln
rexlincoln - 3/9/2018, 12:55 PM
@BlindWedjat - yeah
Cjosh
Cjosh - 3/9/2018, 12:58 PM
Villeneuve Is my favorite director and I could wait two years for his next film even though I know nothing about Dune
Cjosh
Cjosh - 3/9/2018, 1:01 PM
Villeneuve Top 3:
Blade runner 2049
Sicario
Prisoners
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 1:49 PM
YES!!!!!!


Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 1:50 PM

iDontWikeIt
iDontWikeIt - 3/9/2018, 2:02 PM
@Forthas - MY MAN
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 2:11 PM
@iDontWikeIt - He is a VERY smart director. If anyone can pull this off it is him!
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 1:51 PM
That is a great move. To do Dune justice, it will take at least two films. If Disney is smart, they would work with him and lead to a Dune Star Wars crossover!
MrMasculinity
MrMasculinity - 3/9/2018, 4:11 PM
@Forthas - no, I love Star Wars but to be honest , SW is like Dune’s stupid cousin. Star Wars borrowed quite a bit from Dune (and other works). Bene Gesserit inspired the Jedi, Arrakis inspired Tatooine, a galactic empire ruled by a despot, sword fights in a futuristic setting, the Sardaukar inspired Stormtroopers. Hell, even the Sarlac it was based on Dune’s sandworms. Lucas borrowed from other works as well, but he mined Dune for all its worth and dumbed it down with a dash of 1930s Flash Gordon.

Jodorowski’s failed Dune movie project was a melting pot of creativity that also inspired Blade Runner and Alien (HR Giger was noticed thanks to his concept art for Dune).

You can’t mix those two universes.

I’m more than ok with him adapting all the way to Dune Messiah. Or if he wants to continue the story after Paul Atreides, God Emperor of Dune, despite it being essentially unfilmable. If anyone can do it, it’s Villeneuve.
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 4:46 PM
@MrMasculinity - If you love Dune why would you not want it to continue on as an continuous saga?

As far as not wanting to connect it to Star Wars...let me say this...I HEAR YOU!!! BUT...there is a commercial element to it that cannot be ignored. I agree that Star Wars is a dumbed down version, but it does not have to be and that was one of the biggest criticisms of the Star Wars prequels. Empire Strikes Back was NOT a dumbed down Star Wars, so mature adult films can exist in the Star Wars universe (and even be considered the better of the lot). I am a fan of both and I think that both franchises can elevate the weaker parts of the other. Dune can elevate the quality of Star Wars and Star Wars can introduce a less "dense" way of story telling. You can have the attributes of a great deep film as well as a fun adventure. The Dark Knight films and more recently Black Panther proved that. Even one of the producers of Dune recently stated that the Lynch Dune film suffered a lot because it lacked any humor or light moments. I think there was only ONE joke in the entire film. Dune will not survive like that. I also believe BECAUSE Star Wars stole much of its world aesthetics, themes and characterizations from Dune, it would be only right for the union of those two franchises to introduce Star Wars fans to the world of Dune and use the popularity of Star Wars to elevate what should be one of the preeminent sci fi franchises.

Furthermore Star Wars would benefit because it is becoming stale. Think about it. After destroying the empire and killing the emperor, Star Wars went right back to the same tropes Death Star/Starkiller Base and all. Introducing the world of Dune to the mix would give them new directions to explore. FOR EXAMPLE...in Star Wars darth Plagueis sought a way to cheat death...who is to say that in a proposed crossover that he could not find it in the spice melange since one of its qualities is that it extends life?

In addition the world described in Dune looks and feels similar to Star Wars so it would not be stretch to cross the worlds. Look at what crossover films and world building did for Marvel. I think it would do the same for Star Wars and Dune.
MrMasculinity
MrMasculinity - 3/9/2018, 5:56 PM
@Forthas - I see your point, but due to the current state of Star Wars I seriously think Dune would have to be dumbed down. Star Wars is a multi billion franchise, and its core audience right now is kids. The new Star Wars movies had no issue in just shitting on the original trilogy’s fanbase.

I would love to see a series of movies based around KOTOR and the Sith Wars, but I honestly think it’s too adult for the direction Disney is taking Star Wars in.

The old EU is in many ways stronger than what Lucas created. I think Disney will end up ruining Star Wars - if they haven’t already.

I don’t want Dune to go down the same way.

And as a purist, I want to see Herbert’s vision made justice on the big screen. Lynch’s Dune had some good visuals for its time (love the stillsuits even though they’re black and the sandworms are absolutely glorious) but the story was also dumbed down, with many elements missing. For anyone who didn’t read the book, a lot of it makes no sense as there is no backstory for most of what’s going on, and that is essential.

Also... let’s not forget chronology /location/history. Star Wars is set a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Dune is set in the future. The very far future. But it is Earth’s future. Remember when Paul accessed the memories of his male ancestors, where the Bene Gesserit couldn’t see? He went as far back as London during WWII.

And what of mentats, who came into existence after the eradication of A.I. and computers? In a galaxy full of droids and computers, was there even a butlerian jihad?

They are incompatible.

Also, yes, Dune IS dense and serious. That is part of the appeal. Its mythos is so rich, the politics/manipulation/strategising are at a Game of Thrones/House of Cards level, decades before their time. It just has a millenia spanning endgame.

Love them both differently, don’t want to see them together though.
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 8:44 PM
@MrMasculinity - Well I respect your opinion. I can certainly see your point of view. The only thing that I will say is that if you look at the different iterations of Star Wars such as the Rogue One and more recently the Force Awakens, I think that there was a deliberate attempt to avoid the overly slapstick nature of much of what we saw in movies like Phantom Menace. Some of the literature in the extended universe as well as the video game storylines are more in line with the level of depth of what I think would work with Dune. So that proves that such a level of storytelling can coexist with the rest of the Star Wars universe.

Your point about chronology is the ONLY thing that would have to be changed for what I think would be the greater good of blending the two worlds. There is no pressing reason why Dune MUST be set in earth’s future. The points from earths past referenced in the book does not have to be part of the cinimatic universe. Just as in current comic book movies that deviate from the source materials (ie Iron Man creates Ultron as opposed to Hank Prim) that is really a small issue that would be easy to change.

“And what of mentats, who came into existence after the eradication of A.I. and computers? In a galaxy full of droids and computers, was there even a butlerian jihad? “

The answer to that question is that the butlerian jihad occurred in one galaxy (the "known universe" at the time). The "scattering" had people populate various galaxies. If I were bringing the worlds together, the galaxy in which Star Wars occurs would be unknown and will not have been conquered by House Atreides. The discovery of the two seperate galaxies would be the main driving storyline of a crossover film. I have in fact outlined how that would happen (fan fiction). It is not incompatible.

Again, we will just have to disagree. I also love both worlds which is why I would love the stories to intertwine and create a world building narrative like nothing ever seen before.
MrMasculinity
MrMasculinity - 3/9/2018, 11:29 PM
@Forthas - fair enough. I did love Rogue One and can’t say I missed Jar Jar or the Ewoks, 😂.

In any case, Villeneuve is adapting Dune. After Blade Runner 2049 in particular, that makes me really, really happy man.

We’re in for one hell of a ride 😁
Skrull
Skrull - 3/9/2018, 2:46 PM
"BLADE RUNNER 2049 Director Denis Villeneuve Has Revealed That He Will Make "At Least Two" DUNE Movies"

That's what he thinks...
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 3/9/2018, 2:47 PM
I’m there for whatever he makes though I do wish he was doing more original stuff as I don’t really know anything about Dune
Cjosh
Cjosh - 3/9/2018, 4:47 PM
@Ha1frican - same.
marvel72
marvel72 - 3/9/2018, 6:39 PM
@Ha1frican - Its like Lord Of The Rings in scale,with a lot of sand & GIANT worms.
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 2:53 PM
Ian Somerhalder as Paul Atreides

Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 2:57 PM
Clive Owen as Leto Atreides


Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 3:02 PM
Jessica Chastain as Lady Jessica

Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 3:12 PM
Ben Kingsley as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV


Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 3:35 PM
Nikki Reed as Princess Irulan


Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 3:38 PM
Kylie Bunbury as Chani


Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 4:20 PM
Francis Fisher as Gaius Helen Mohiam


Snotzo
Snotzo - 3/9/2018, 4:43 PM
@Forthas - Paul is 15 in Dune, Somerhalder is way too old. Any of the contenders for the latest Spider-Man will do.
Forthas
Forthas - 3/9/2018, 4:48 PM
@Snotzo - The story takes place over a large number of years...obviously Ian Somerhalder would be the adult Paul
Snotzo
Snotzo - 3/9/2018, 11:36 PM
@Forthas - they also age differently the Emperor is suppose to be 70 but look 35 or something.
Snotzo
Snotzo - 3/9/2018, 4:37 PM
Very ambitious can’t wait.
Cjosh
Cjosh - 3/9/2018, 4:48 PM
@Snotzo - dude nice avatar
Snotzo
Snotzo - 3/9/2018, 11:38 PM
@Cjosh - thanks, I’ve had for years without changing.
Scripturepoetic
Scripturepoetic - 3/9/2018, 6:45 PM
HELL Yeah!!!!
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