Sci-Fi Dune

[Slushy]

The problem with Dune is that there's just so much stuff about the alien worlds, cultures, and characters to memorize that a casual moviegoer would more than likely lose interest with the first 15 to 30 minutes especially with the lack of action required to maintain continued viewing.

I always felt it was something meant for hardcore lovers of science fiction given its elements and settings so it would be damn near impossible to make it a successful venture for mass audiences without compromising Herbert's vision.

Stuff like Star Wars and Avatar worked because the characters, locations, and lore would kept to a minimum so it was easier to keep track of and relate to.

To get a proper version of Dune in 1 sitting, it would have to get a Lord of The Rings Extended Edition treatment so the Dune mini-series (which I'm still waiting for to get the Blu-Ray treatment) is the best you're going to get plus its more faithful to the book.

Although to compare the two casts of the characters I cared about, I feel this way:

Leto Atreides: William Hurt > Jürgen Prochnow

Paul Atreides: Kyle MacLachlan > Alec Newman

Chani: Barbora Kodetová > Sean Young

Vladimir Harkonnen: Ian McNeice > Kenneth McMillian

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen: Matt Keeslar > Sting

Irulan Corrino: Virginia Madsen > Julie Cox

Shaddam Corrino: Giancarlo Giannini > José Ferrer

Liet-Kynes: Max von Sydow > Karel Dobrý

Gurney Halleck: Patrick Stewart > Patrick Moriarty

Duncan Idaho: James Watson > Richard Jordan

I can already hear the groans of some of my preferences, but its just my opinion.



So overall, screw another remake and let Sci-Fi make God Emperor of Dune already!

 

[Pink Ranger]

Although to compare the two casts of the characters I cared about, I feel this way:

I can already hear the groans of some of my preferences, but its just my opinion.



So overall, screw another remake and let Sci-Fi make God Emperor of Dune already!

Not bad, but come on man, you forgot the most important character in the book:

Jessica: Francesca Annis > Saskia Reeves

 

[Slushy]

lol, I hated the Bene Gesserit.

 

[echostation]

screw the new remake... unless they give it JODOROWSKY

I've been dying to see what Jodorowsky's version would have been like. I understand it's not really a faithful adaptation but when the genius said he wanted to create a phenomenal mind changing experience, I would have paid top dollar to see it. The production art and design are some of the most beautiful and unique I've seen in film history... it's AMAZING

I can't wait to see the documentary on his planned scrapped version

 

[Pink Ranger]

lol, I hated the Bene Gesserit.

Just what I expect a Tleilaxu spy to say!! Weapons Master, to me, and slay the intruder!!

Seriously though, for me the Bene Gesserit is probably my favorite fictional subculture in all of science fiction.

 

[Gabe99]

Denis Villeneuve on Making ‘Arrival’, ‘Blade Runner’ Sequel His Way Within Studio System
A longstanding dream of mine is to adapt “Dune,” but it’s a long process to get the rights, and I don’t think I will succeed.

 

[terry78]

After Arrival I feel he could do it but it would have to be a franchise. Just started reading the book which is why I bumped this.

 

[TheVileOne]

Dune is my favorite novel ever, but I'm fine with the SyFy miniseries honestly. IMHO that was the best adaptation of the novel. Is it perfect? No. But it captured all the major elements I liked about the novel.

As Frank Herbert once said about Lynch's version, while he was complimentary of it, Paul Atreides is not a god, he's playing one.

 

[green]

Eh, I don't get his comments about the rights to the film. The Herbert Estate has been trying for years. I don't think they will settle for just anything but hell they were going to let Peter Berg direct it...

I personally think Dune is too intelligent for the general public to get unless its water down. I don't ever think it will succeed as a big blockbuster without being an abomination to the novel.

 

[Sithborg]

I do think that the Herbert estate is probably valuing the rights a bit more than most seem to be comfortable with.

 

[TheVileOne]

Eh, I don't get his comments about the rights to the film. The Herbert Estate has been trying for years. I don't think they will settle for just anything but hell they were going to let Peter Berg direct it...

I personally think Dune is too intelligent for the general public to get unless its water down. I don't ever think it will succeed as a big blockbuster without being an abomination to the novel.

I agree.

The thing is, while the franchise has multiple books, to be perfectly honest, the Dune books while epic in scope, aren't really blockbuster friendly stories.

 

[Kaleb]

Legendary Acquires Frank Herbert’s Classic Sci-Fi Novel ‘Dune’ For Film And TV

BREAKING: Legendary has just acquired film and TV rights to Frank Herbert’s seminal science fiction novel Dune after coming to agreement with the Herbert estate. Any project will be produced by Thomas Tull, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter, with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Get Denis Villeneuve on this. He said he would love to adapt the novel one day.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

10 years attempting to adapt the story and failing at it?

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

I think it would require at least a 2 parts movie to adapt it for cinema so maybe a TV series may be more adequate ( with a decent budget ).
We shall see.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I think Dune will get a second look now, thanks in part to the popularity of Game Of Thrones. GOT has shown that a genre property with limited action scenes and more of a focus on character, politics and intrigue does have an audience. The extensive use of in-universe language in Dune still presents an obstacle, but good writing can help overcome that.

The other problem is that a film or film series is really the only way to go with this. There's already been two cable miniseries, one kind of meh, the other pretty good. Audiences are used to movies from 20_ years ago being remade, but remaking a miniseries into another miniseries may not be that great of an idea.

 

[Monsieur Xavier]

The issue I see with just one movie will be the same as the Lynch's version, heavy trimming and shortcoming/simplification. Two movies could work but what if the first is a flop, unless the two movies are filmed at once to reduce costs ( I'm not expert on this matter tho ).

 

[tanita_mors]

Netfilx/HBO should do a mini series. For all the mediocre casting (save Julie Cox - I just loved her in the role and James McAvoy) and cheapness of it, the SyFy mini series is still one of my all time favorite mini's ever. I will never forget that fantastic Main Theme. The story is too broad and layered for a 2 or even 3 hour movie, and as someone said, would this draw people in to justify multiple movies. Particularly given the Arabic and Islamic themes that the original work has.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The issue I see with just one movie will be the same as the Lynch's version, heavy trimming and shortcoming/simplification. Two movies could work but what if the first is a flop, unless the two movies are filmed at once to reduce costs ( I'm not expert on this matter tho ).

The problem with the Lynch movie is not simplification per se; simplification can be a good thing sometimes. I am glad I was able to watch Lord of the Rings without having to sit through the Recitation Of The Lament Of Flewdurflammybuttfarts, for example. The problem with the Lynch movie, was A) too much story for one movie, and B) David Lynch trying to be too David Lynch and adding too much random **** in there.

 

[Octoberist]

This is good news!

 

[tanita_mors]

Did they get the rights just for the novel Dune, or the whole original series of books ?

 

[Octoberist]

So is the first book worth the read? I didn't like the first film, didn't care for the miniseries, so I don't get the hype over this universe. But Hollywood seems to love it.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Did they get the rights just for the novel Dune, or the whole original series of books ?

When it comes to things like these, they tend to buy the whole shebang. Just in case they need it.

So is the first book worth the read? I didn't like the first film, didn't care for the miniseries, so I don't get the hype over this universe. But Hollywood seems to love it.

It's a classic book mate. Definitely should read it.

 

[Sawyer]

I watched a few minutes of Lynch's movie on TV a few months ago and thought it was ri-goddamn-diculous, but I love the trailer for it and the score.

 

[Sithborg]

I wish Legendary luck with this. I'm not quite sure how it will work out for them, though.