With the nine-part Skywalker Saga complete there's a box office vacancy this holiday season. Hopes for director Denis Villeneuve's two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune are high - perhaps more so given the global pandemic.
The first official trailer suggests Villeneuve's follow-up to Blade Runner 2049, one of my favourite sequels, will deliver an epic space saga starring Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
"A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence — a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential — only those who conquer their fear will survive."
As I've written previously, David Lynch's adaptation of Dune (1984) failed to capture my imagination despite an excellent soundtrack composed by Toto. Dune reunites Villeneuve with Hans Zimmer who scored Blade Runner 2049 to industrial-sized effect.
Dune is scheduled to be released in cinemas on 18th December.
Unlike you, I'm quite fond of Lynch's version, despite its (many) faults (and Sting in his pants). But I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing what Denis Villeneuve does with the property. Blade Runner 2049 was an astonishingly imaginative film that deserved to do better than it did. I'd say much of its wonder was down to Zimmer's involvement.
ReplyDeleteIf Dune is half as good I'll be happy.
And yes, it is absolutely this year's Star Wars. In fact, I think I'm more excited about Dune than I have been for at least one of the last Star Wars films...
Dune's release in the wake of the conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy left me yearning for space battles and the toy line ended up in bargain bins.
DeleteIndeed. The comparison to StarWars is fair and appropriate. I think George knew the lore of Dune well, and picked up on a number of Dune beats (consciously or subconsciously) like the desert planet, the use of swordsmanship, the gifted youth coming into it's own, the galactic empire etc. Of course, all of these are standard tropes, but I made me think: What if Vilneuve is picked to make the next Star Wars trilogy and make his mark on the Sci Fi landscape in legendary way?
ReplyDeleteThere's a new golden age of sci-fi what with Foundation coming to Apple TV+.
Deletemore like a bronze age, picking up these old properties :=) .. I think the age will be golden when the start tackling the modern masterpieces by Reynolds, Banks, Gibson, Scott-Card, Simmons, etc. there are so many mind-blowingly good books out there
DeleteSo, let's say a new silver age, then! Am hoping Ridley Scott's Raised by Wolves on HBO Max is shown in the UK soon.
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