Dune is Back! Will it get the Adaptation it Deserves?
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Photo by Simon Clayton from Pexels
2020, What a Mess
With all the damage 2020 has done to us, many have taken to streaming services to fill their need for cinematic entertainment, but is it really just the same as going to a movie theatre with your friends? Because of the pandemic, many upcoming movies have been delayed, and the overall excitement for them has been slowly dwindling. But on September 9, sci-fi fans’ excitement was reignited with a trailer of the newest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic novel Dune. Unfortunately, recently it was confirmed that the film had been pushed back to October of next year. While that may be a long wait, the excitement for diehard fans is still strong for the long-awaited adaptation.
Who’s Involved?
Denis Villeneuve, who had received praise for the 2015 action-thriller film Sicario, the 2016 alien film Arrival, and the long-awaited 2017 neo-noir film Blade Runner 2049 (which many fans considered to be a faithful sequel to the 1982 original), announced that on February 2017, he was hired to direct a new adaptation of Dune. Many fans were pleased with the choice due to his contribution to sci-fi films. The film has gathered an all-star cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, Jason Momoa, and Dave Bautista. However, having big names don’t always mean success.
A Dream Project
Photo by Chiabella James, Warner Bros. Pictures
So far, Dune is building up to be possibly the best Sci-Fi movie of this generation, but now, that may be a heavy burden to bear; Villeneuve has repeatedly shown in interviews that Dune is his dream project. Being a huge fan of Hubert’s work, Villeneuve has stated that there is no possible way to fit the imaginative world of Arrakis and its history all in one movie and has teased that there will be two movies to take up the entirety of the first book. Even though Dune already had an adaption in 1984, as well as a 2000 mini-series (that had six hours of time to bring Arrakis to life), fans are still waiting for a truly faithful adaption to the classic sci-fi story. So, what makes the new 2021 adaption different? While we won’t know the answer until we actually see the movie, our hopes reside in the passion and dedication Denis Villeneuve has put into the upcoming film. It’s confirmed that Villeneuve spent a full year trying to settle in on a design for the famous sandworm, and from seeing the trailer, it’s safe to say he perfectly captured the terrifying-yet-wondrous presence of the creature.
A Sci-Fi Classic on the Horizon
Overall, hopes are high for the film; as for the past 25 years, it feels like the modern-day audience is finally getting ready for Dune to enter the world of cinema. Projects like The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones have shown that stories with an imaginative world can stick in the minds of movie lovers forever. Dune's universe has everything to be successful: politics, unique geography, fascinating wildlife, interesting characters, and an awesome story. Dune 2021 may be a long ways away, but it is safe to say many of us are looking forward to the journey to Arrakis once again, and it will possibly be one we will never forget.
Aidan Conners
Aidan Conners is a short story writer, currently taking the Professional Writing course at Algonquin College. He is also a fan of comics, animals, video games, 90’s rock, horror movies, riddles, and reading.
