Director Denis Villeneuve explains why his adaptation of Dune will be split into two movies. Frank Herbert's 1965 sci-fi novel was previously adapted into a feature film back in 1984 by David Lynch, but suffered from poor reviews and a disappointing box office run. Fans of Herbert's novel were displeased with the film, claiming it didn't do the book justice. A miniseries followed years later and was again criticized for not being a successful adaptation of the book. Now, fans are pinning their hopes on Villeneuve's Dune, which is still on track to be released in December of this year. After months of not hearing much about it, fans have been granted first looks at Dune and its impressive cast.
Dune stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the son of a noble family that has recently gained control of the desert planet Arrakis, which holds the most valuable resource in the universe. Oscar Isaac plays his father Duke Leto Atreides, while Rebecca Ferguson takes on the role of his mother Lady Jessica. Additional cast members include Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgård, and Jason Momoa. Dune's cast list is one of the main reasons why fans are optimistic about this new adaptation. Plus, Villeneuve's experience with films like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 have endeared him to sci-fi fans.
Villeneuve has big plans for the Dune universe, and they start with breaking the novel up into multiple films. While speaking with Vanity Fair, Villeneuve explained his decision by citing It and It: Chapter 2. Both Stephen King's novel and Dune cover a lot of ground that would be tricky to stuff into just one film. As Villeneuve said, "I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie. The world is too complex. It’s a world that takes its power in details."
The planned sequel already has a writer in Jon Spaihts, who was previously attached to a Dune spin-off series at HBO Max. The series, Dune: The Sisterhood, will focus on the Bene Gesserit, an enigmatic religious group from Herbert's wider Dune universe. There have been few updates about The Sisterhood, though with HBO Max launching in May, more news could come soon.
Villeneuve's approach to Dune is likely a smart one, since many adaptations have suffered from trying to fit too many elements into one film. Herbert's world is vast and deeply complex, and it needs the proper space to introduce it all. Villeneuve only seems to be angling for one additional Dune film at the moment, but if the first installment proves to be a success, there likely could be more in the future. After all, there's a lot of source material to work with, and film studios love successful franchises.
Source: Vanity Fair
