Sometimes, dreams come true. Denis Villeneuve is becoming a bit of a Sci-Fi auteur with this year's awards-contender Arrival and the upcoming Blade Runner 2049, and earlier this year, the director revealed that it was an old dream of his to take on another Sci-Fi classic, Frank Herbert's Dune. Well, lo and behold, Legendary got their hands on the Film and TV rights last month and now, the studio is in early talks with Villeneuve to direct.
Per Variety, it's unknown as of now if Villeneuve would have any involvement in any television projects, just that he would direct the first film in what one assume's is geared to become a franchise. Indeed, the long-running novel franchise spawned more than 20 books to date. Thomas Tull, Mary Parent, and Cale Boyter ,will produce, with the Herbert estate heads Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers.
Here's the Dune synopsis:
Set in the distant future, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides whose family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, control of Arrakis is highly contested among the noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s control of Arrakis.
The 1965 sci-fi epic that launched the long-running series took home a Hugo Award and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. It has gone on to become one of the best-selling science fiction novels of all time with more than 12 million copies sold.
David Lynch adapted the novel in 1984 with the Kyle MacLachlan-led film of the same name, which has gone on to cult status, but was received at the time as a critical and commercial failure, grossing only $30.9 million for its $45 million budget. Dune also received an Emmy-winning SyFy miniseries back in 2000 from John Harrison. Alejandro Jodorowsky also famously attempted to adapt the property in the mid-70s, and that doomed project has been chronicled in the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune.
In case you missed it, check out the first footage and new images from Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 and keep an eye on Arrival as we head into Awards season. The film is on the Oscar shortlist for visual effects, earned two Golden Globes nominations, and Adam’s trusty Oscar Beat has it in contention for Best Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture.
