By Andrew Sanford | News | October 18, 2024 |
I have not read any of the Dune books. It wasn’t for any particular reason. I like sci-fi and big space adventures and, ya know, Star Wars which lifted a lot from the works of Frank Herbert. Still, I have flirted with the universe of Paul Atreidis, spending a few sleepless nights diving into the Wikipedia pages of the book series after hearing that a character eventually transforms into a giant worm. This curiosity had made me toy with David Lynch’s adaptation, which I did not love but certainly had fun watching. However, the Denis Villeneuve films grabbed me, and have not let go.
The two films which consist of material from the first book are, in my opinion, modern marvels. They are dense but accessible. There is plenty of big-budget CG but also lots of practical effects and sets that make the world feel tactile and exciting. The acting from everyone involved is committed and stellar (even if Dave Bautista is reduced to a screaming maniac in the second). They are massive achievements and give me hope that the future of big movies is not so bleak.
Villeneuve’s Dune films have been very successful, as moviegoers and critics have happily followed Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya to the sand planet Arrakis. The first won six Academy Awards and the sequel could likely wrack up more at this year’s ceremony. A spinoff set ten thousand years before the events of the films is due to appear on MAX. The Dune universe is thriving under Villeneuve’s watchful eye, and that looks set to continue sooner than expected.
It was never guaranteed that the director would continue in the Dune universe. He was set to make a nuclear war film for Legendary Pictures. However, it was revealed back in June that he may go back to the Spice before working on anything else. Now, Villeneuve himself has revealed that, after a short hiatus, he is back in Frank Herbert’s world. Denis says he will “go back behind the camera faster than [he] think[s].” “I’m in the writing zone right now,” the director told Deadline.
According to Villeneuve, his Dune films could have been his only foray into the world, and he could have left behind a completed story. That is no longer the case, as he says “but yes, like Herbert did with Dune: Messiah, I think it’ll be a great idea to do something completely different. The story takes place like 12 years after where we left the characters at the end of Part Two. Their journey, their story is different this time, and that’s why I always say that while it’s the same world it’s a new film with new circumstances.”
I can’t wait to see what else Villeneuve has to say about this universe. Again, most of my familiarity with it comes from his films, but I still feel so welcomed by them. It’s fun to take. tour of these worlds with someone who knows them like the back of his hand but wants them to feel open to newcomers. I’m sure he has created new, lifelong fans with his adaptations. Thanks to Denis, I might finally find myself cracking open the first book faster than I think.