Some of the world’s biggest film and television franchises were born from best-selling fantasy books, such asLord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, andThe Hunger Games. Today, that trend continues as studios across Hollywood search for the next big story. But Denis Villeneuve, the director of the Oscar-nominated sci-fi flickArrival, thinks he’s found it in an old tale: Frank Herbert’sDune, the larger-than-life space epic that follows the heroic tale of a man with a great destiny.
After David Lynch’s 1984 version ofDunefailed to woo audiences, Villeneuve believes the second time’s a charm, and lead star Timothee Chalamet agrees. In a recent interview with Deadline, Chalamet comparedDunetotheHarry Potterfranchise, saying that he believes Herbert’s story could become a phenomenon for the new generation in the same way that J.K. Rowling’s story was a phenomenon for earlier generations.
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Dunealready has a head start in that direction. The franchise has a large fandom that has been growing for decades, and the latest film adaptation hopes to add new fans to that base. While working on the film, Chalamet was shocked to learn how many people held a next-level connection to the books. He thinks such a connection will help turnDuneinto a global spectacle, similar to how the fans' connection to theHarry Potterbooks helped boost the films to instant popularity.
Of course, the challenge of theDunefilm will be finding a way to make the complex story digestible, especially for people who have never read the books before. This was partly the reasonwhy previous versions ofDunefell short.Duneis known for being hard to follow, with even Chalamet admitting that it was intentionally not made to be consumed easily. It would seem easier to gain new fans with a story that makes sense, rather than one that leaves viewers confused and unsatisfied.
Villeneuve thinkssplitting up theDunestory into multiple partswill help. The first film, which drops next month, will be subtitledPart Oneand it will cover only the first half of Herbert’s novel. A sequel has not yet been confirmed because such will depend on how well the first film does, but Villeneuve seems confident that aPart Twowill get the green light.
Dunefeatures a star-studded cast that is sure to put viewers in cinema seats. Timothee Chalamet stars as the lead character, Paul Atreides, and he is joined by huge names, includingZendaya (Chani), Oscar Isaac (Leto Atreides), Jason Momoa (Duncan Idaho), Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica), Dave Bautista (Glossu Rabban), Stellan Skarsgard (Vladimir Harkonnen), Javier Bardem (Stilgar), Josh Brolin (Gurney Halleck), and many more.
Duneis set to premiere in theatres and on HBO Max on July 02, 2025.
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