Frank Herbert's 1965 novel Dune is widely considered one of the greatest science-fiction novels ever written, and now it's set for a new movie adaptation from Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve.

Various directors tried and failed to tackle the book, with the most famous unmade version being that of cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky. His ambitious plans were so enormous - including casting Salvador Dalí and Orson Welles, getting Pink Floyd to do the soundtrack and having legendary illustrator Moebius design the film - that a documentary was made about the project. When that fell through, producer Dino De Laurentiis hired a young David Lynch, fresh from his Oscar-nominated work in The Elephant Man. The final result was widely slammed, although it has its bright moments, and Lynch would later distance himself from the film, saying his artistic vision had been curtailed.

The Sci-Fi Channel would make a miniseries of the novel in 2000 and other directors would attempt to get a new film into production (both Peter Berg (Battleship) and Pierre Morel (Taken) were signed on as directors at various points in time) but to no avail. However, in November 2016, it was revealed that Legendary Entertainment had required the rights to Dune, and the following month, it was announced that Denis Villeneuve would direct the project. Not much has been revealed since then, but here is everything you need to know about the upcoming Dune movie. We’ll keep this updated as new stories break.

Title: Dune
Release date: Unknown
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Eric Roth
Last Update: September 30, 2018

WHAT’S THE STORY OF DUNE?



Condensing the plot of Dune into a manageable synopsis is no mean feat. It's a tangled novel of political machinations and religious fanaticism that eschews many of the common markers of the science-fiction genre. The story takes place amid feuding noble houses who each control their own planets. The first novel's main hero, Paul Atreides, is part of the family who are the stewards of Arrakis, the desert planet which is the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe: the spice melange. The drug can unlock future sight in some humans and is crucial for interstellar space travel. The overarching story follows the battles for control of Arrakis by the many noble families of the galaxy and Paul's rise from heir of the House Atreides to one of the most powerful figures in the universe.

Dune was the first book to win the Nebula Award for Best Novel. Arthur C. Clarke praised the novel by saying, "I know nothing comparable to it except Lord of the Rings." There are five sequels to the first book, and from 1999 onwards, Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson published a number of prequels, as well as two official sequels to the central Dune series.

DENIS VILLENEUVE WILL DIRECT



Québécois director Denis Villeneuve was revealed as the director of Dune last year, fresh off the release of his critically acclaimed Blade Runner sequel, Blade Runner 2049. While that film was generally considered a box office disappointment (it made just under $260 million from a budget of around $150-185 million) it received excellent reviews and was seen as a worthy successor to Ridley Scott's classic. It also wasn't his first foray into sci-fi, as the previous year saw the release of the Oscar winner Arrival, starring Amy Adams. Between both his English and French language films, Villeneuve has garnered a reputation as a director of excellent psychological understanding and visual flare on both a large and small scale, which is essentially perfect for a Dune film.

TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET WILL PLAY THE LEAD



Paul Atreides, the hero of Dune, is the fifteen year old heir to the House of Atreides, the aristocratic rulers of the planet Caladan. He eventually gains superhuman powers, rises to the top of the political ladder, and becomes a godlike figure - all of which was Frank Herbert's way of commenting on the problems of absolute power and undisputed heroes. In Lynch's film, he was played by Kyle MacLachlan, with whom he would become a regular collaborator. At the time, MacLachlan was 24, certainly too old for Paul, although not much older than the actor who will play the part in Villeneuve's film.

Timothée Chalamet, fresh from his Oscar-nominated turn in Call Me By Your Name, is 22, but has already been unofficially crowned the hottest actor of his generation. Any project he signs onto will arouse interest but it is notable that Chalamet has chosen Dune as his first big-budget project and not a more traditional franchise role. In an interview with the Philippine Daily Enquirer, Chalamet explained his decision to sign onto Dune:

"So I always told myself, if you do a big movie, make sure it’s with a really great director. I met Denis at the Hollywood Film Awards last year. I didn’t want to scare him away with my enthusiasm for the project, so I didn’t even bring it up. I just said, “Hi.” [...] Denis said, “Would you consider doing this?” I was like, “Yes, of course I would.” I have read the script and the book and I am so grateful that it’s a big movie and yet, there’s a real arc to this character."


REBECCA FERGUSON ALSO IN THE CAST



The ensemble of Dune is large and detailed, which would make for a tricky prospect for any casting team. Jodorowsky had hoped to cast an array of figures as eclectic as Orson Welles, Salvador Dalí (who would later demand a fee of $100,000 an hour), Gloria Swanson, Mick Jagger and Hervé Villechaize. Lynch's cast was even more impressive: Kyle MacLachlan, Brad Dourif, Virginia Madsen, Patrick Stewart, Max von Sydow, Sting, and Linda Hunt.

Casting for Villeneuve's Dune has the potential to be just as dazzling, but for now, the only attached names are Chalamet and Mission: Impossible star Rebecca Ferguson. Ferguson was reported by The Hollywood Reporter to be in talks with Legendary at the beginning of September 2018, and will reportedly play Paul's mother, Lady Jessica. In Lynch's film, she was played by English actress Francesca Annis.