“Dune” First Look Photos & More Details Following the first photo yesterday, Vanity Fair has done a major feature piece on Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert’s legendary sci-fi novel “Dune”. The piece includes nine photos offering first looks at many of the key characters, along with plenty of details about the big-budget film shot last year – primarily in Jordan and remote regions outside Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Villeneuve says he didn’t agree to make this adaptation of the book if it were to be one movie because “the world is too complex. It’s a world that takes its power in details.” So the key was to break the sprawling narrative in half, telling the story across two films much like with the recent adaptation of Stephen King’s “IT”. Villeneuve also says the lessons of “Dune” still apply today: “No matter what you believe, Earth is changing, and we will have to adapt. That’s why I think that Dune, this book, was written in the 20th century. It was a distant portrait of the reality of the oil and the capitalism and the exploitation – the overexploitation – of Earth. Today, things are just worse. It’s a coming-of-age story, but also a call for action for the youth.” Stellan Skarsgard’s Baron Vladimir Harkonnen is said to be “like a rhino in human form” created by a full-body prosthetic. The new take is “less of a madman and more of a predator” than in the book says Villeneuve: “As much as I deeply love the book, I felt that the baron was flirting very often with caricature, and I tried to bring him a bit more dimension. That’s why I brought in Stellan. Stellan has something in the eyes. You feel that there’s someone thinking, thinking, thinking – that has tension and is calculating inside, deep in the eyes. I can testify, it can be quite frightening.” The director has also expanded the role of Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica, making her “more fearsome than before” and more of a ‘warrior priestess’ than a ‘space nun’. Actress Rebecca Ferguson, who plays the role, says: “She’s a mother, she’s a concubine, she’s a soldier. Denis was very respectful of Frank’s work in the book, [but] the quality of the arcs for much of the women have been brought up to a new level. There were some shifts he did, and they are beautifully portrayed now.” Villeneuve has also reportedly updated the role of Dr. Liet Kynes, turning the part from a white man into a black woman played by Sharon Duncan-Brewster. Villeneuve labels the project “by far the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life.” “Dune” is slated to open in cinemas in December. https://www.darkhorizons.com/first-photo-timothee-chalamet-in-dune/ I've spoiler-ed the photos..... Spoiler: New stills from Denis Villeneuve's DUNE
Also the same guy who directed Blade Runner 2049 and The Arrival. I'm looking forward to this but am trying to keep my expectations in check. I'm a big fan of the Dune series but feel that it's one of those novels that can't be made into a movie without losing a lot of what makes it good. The 1980's David Lynch Dune had a lot of potential but still ended up being a massive failure. It was doomed from the start as what Hollywood wanted did match with what Lynch wanted and what Frank Herbert wrote. The 2000's Syfy channel miniseries got closer to the subject material but was still hampered by a relatively low budget and poor acting. I think the only way to do it justice would be to spread it out as a series like Game of Thrones but you would need a budget like Star Wars to do justice to the vision.
I've been pretty dang happy with everything I've seen by Villenueve to date, so I have confidence this will be at least good. It may not be exactly what was in the books but the books can get a little silly at times, as well. I'm intrigued by some of the changes mentioned in the article. Also, I think the casting for Lady Jessica is inspired. Rebecca Ferguson is going to be great. Not sure on Chalamet yet, and if he sucks then the whole thing won't be salvageable, but I remain cautiously optimistic that this could be spectacular. I wonder when we will get at least a teaser trailer?
What? Updated? They updated Chani's father? WTF Dune has a ton of strong female characters why they need to change the book like that? Also Stelan Skargard as Harkonnen I don't see it at all.
Finally, Dune is finally getting the movie adaptation it deserves. I really appreciate Villeneuve's previous work, I think he can bring this series back to life, a true inspiration of Star Wars.... Love that Hans Zimmer is on there too, hopefully the spinoff TV series comes out strong...
As a Dune fan, I am fairly certain I will be disappointed. As stated, this is a very difficult book to be ported to cinema. I hope they dont hack it up too bad and just make it a lackluster production. It can still be a good movie.
Count me as one of the weirdos that loves Lynch's Dune, but I really wish we could have seen Jodorowsky's.
I hope he's finds the right blend off Hollywood success and faithfulness to the original work. I imagine if he's too faithful, he'll lose most audiences which will kill the chances of sequels...
Excited to see this when it eventually comes out but I will not lie. The costumes especially the stillsuits look very disappointing.
The stillsuits don't seem superior to Lynch's version. Stylistically, they're even pretty similar aside from the gloves. Villaneuve's Chani is also inferior in beauty and attractiveness to Lynch's Chani. Sean Young circa Blade Runner & Dune > Zendayah.
Can't wait for this adaptation. Directors got a great list of very underrated films under his belt. And the cast sounds amazing. Hans Zimmer always brings the intensity and emotion. Was disappointed the amazing Roger Deakins wasn't teaming back up with Denis. Was expecting a much more accomplished DP, but Greig Fraser seems to be getting a lot of work-Rogue One, Mandalorian, the upcoming Batman movie. His cinematography doesn't really stand out for me in a film where it will be crucial and so far the released images look like Rogue One and The Mandalorian which something about the lighting bothers me. Add a cheapness factor for some reason which is fine for Star Wars but not Dune IMO. The opening shots of that green field in Rogue One and the final episode of The Mandalorian were great though.
He's a rising star for sure. He's done a lot of smaller type of roles but one of the bigger roles i saw him in- "Call me By Your Name" with Armie Hammer was very good. He's consistently good in his smaller roles. He's been getting steady work in good films too. He's also going to be in Wes Andersons new movie. Just watched Little Women in which he did a fine job and i just watched Hostiles in which i have no idea why he was even in the film.
I wouldn't worry too much about the lighting. There is probably still a lot of post production going on that will improve it a lot over the stills that have been released.
Forgot about that one. He's got kind of dead eyes that i think will make a good villainous character as he ages lol
