In a recent interview, Keanu Reeves shares his glowing one-word review for Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of the sci-fi epic novel Dune. First published in 1965, Frank Herbert's bestselling novel centers on Paul Atreides and his noble family as they are tasked with becoming the stewards of the desert planet of Arrakis, home to the universe's most-valuable asset melange, also known as the spice. However, the House Atreides find themselves thrust in the middle of a war for control of the planet, requiring Paul to rise up and become the hero for his family and the native people of Arrakis.

Timothée Chalamet leads the ensemble cast of Dune as Paul alongside Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem. Villeneuve becomes the second filmmaker to adapt the novel for the big screen following David Lynch's 1984 film, which initially failed critically and commercially but has since garnered a cult following in the years since its release. Villeneuve's Dune has received largely favorable reviews from critics and audiences alike, and now one notable name has made themselves known as a fan of the film.

Reeves recently sat down with Esquire for a far-encompassing interview on his career and his love of the movie industry. When posed with the question of his thoughts on Villeneuve's Dune, Reeves had just one word to praise the sci-fi epic adaptation. See what Reeves said below:

Awesome.

Reeves has frequently expressed his love for moves in general but is also no stranger to the sci-fi world with his leading turn as Neo in The Matrix franchise. Though Dune initially left some critics polarized upon its Venice International Film Festival debut, most have since shared the same opinion as Reeves' one-word review as the film has received much praise for the sheer scope and ambition of Villeneuve's efforts to bring Herbert's novel to life faithfully on screen. Audiences have similarly showered the film with love and carried it to a solid box office performance, grossing over $368 million against its $165 million production budget and becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of the year.

Dune's critical and modest commercial success proved to be the necessary motivator Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures needed to properly greenlight Villeneuve's planned sequel, Dune: Part Two, adapting the latter half of the source material. With the studio having held off on letting the filmmaker produce the films back-to-back, many are hopeful that Villeneuve is able to hear the criticisms directed to the first film and adjust to deliver a faithful and more exciting sequel. While Dune: Part Two is still a couple of years away, audiences can look forward to revisiting Dune as it returns to IMAX theaters December 3 for a limited time.

Dune 2 (2023)
Release Date: Oct 20, 2023