So with Dune being delayed until October this year, there's a longer period of time where I
can talk about the film and potential elements which it will adapt from
Frank Herbert's Novel. But with anticipation rising from neutral film fans
and the success and buzz of the first Dune trailer, I firstly, wanted to put together a
brief video giving you all the reasons why Denis Villeneuve's adaptation
is the most anticipated film of the year. Having also finished reading the novel, my personal
excitement for the project has only gone up and I wanted to share that in this video.
Before I get into it though, if you want to see much more videos on DUNE leading
up to it's release date later this year, then don't forget to subscribe to the channel
and turn on your notifications. Also, if you enjoy this video remember to give
it a like rating. But without further a do,
lets discuss why DUNE 2021 is the most anticipated film of the year.
With one of the most highly-anticipated films now releasing in 2021, it seems
the excitement has only increased during all of the delays. Denis Villeneuve's
adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal science fiction novel was always going to be ambitious,
but only a few realized quite how epic in scale Dune would be until the
first trailer landed online and collectively stunned fans with its impressive visuals
and intimate sense of drama. The huge cast led by Timothée Chamalet, Zendaya,
Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista and Josh Brolin gave an early hint of the
impact Dune could have upon release, but there are much more reasons to be excited
about this adaptation. The wait goes on after the pandemic caused a delay of almost a year,
and Dune will now release on October 1st, and apparently be available on
HBO Max. As the news continues to settle that Warner Brothers will shift all of its
2021 releases to HBO Max, the industry is still trying to come to terms with the
wealth of content whose release cycle has been completely transformed.
There are some films that you won’t be surprised about, but Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is arguably
the biggest shock, especially since it is a project that has been moulded for the big screen
experience. It’s also been the most contentious as the director himself
has spoken out against the decision, claiming it’ll prevent the film from reaching its
potential, and star Timothée Chalamet has shown support for Legendary Pictures,
the film’s producer, as they clash with Warner Brothers over the deal.
But regardless of filmmakers and stars in hollywood not liking this approach
and one which I personally don't like either, the confusion shouldn’t detract from the
fact that Dune, is set to be one of 2021’s highlights. Directed by Denis Villeneuve,
the Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind films such as Prisoners, Arrival and Blade
Runner 2049, it’s set to adapt the first half of Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel Dune, with a sequel
already planned to finish off the story.
The film follows Paul Atriedes - heir to the throne of Arrakis,
a sand planet mined extensively for the precious drug Spice, used to prolong human life — as his
home is torn away from him and he’s forced to defend for himself.
It’s not the first time the property has been adapted for the big screen, as acclaimed director
David Lynch attempted it in 1984, which was met by negative reviews and bombed
at the box office. Therefore, Villeneuve’s Dune really is make-or-break for a property
that truly birthed the modern sci-fi genre — with George Lucas citing it as a
key inspiration behind Star Wars and many other films have found influence respectively.
Considering how crucial this film might be for this franchise, it’s however,
in incredibly safe hands. Despite never really setting the box office alight with his
previous work, Denis has quickly become a critical and audience success.
His latest offering, Blade Runner 2049, which released in 2017, is a perfect example of why
Dune should be fantastic piece of art. Contextually, they’re similar to some degree,
being re-imaginings of no-longer existing sci-fi franchises, taking all-star
casts and crafting immersive, rich landscapes within, where expanding fantasy narratives take
off. The film received five Oscar nominations, winning Best
Cinematography and Best Editing, and despite its box office troubles preventing it from
reviving the franchise, it’s gone down in sci-fi canon as one of the best of
this century. This is not to suggest that he’s just a one-genre director,
as he’s had hits in the thriller genre with one of my favourite films, Prisoners, which is
proof that he can get spectacular indie performances out of mainstream actors like
Hugh Jackman. This is alongside his work on Sicario which also proves his passion
for thought-provoking action. Given Dune‘s delay from December 2020 to October 2021,
this means that the director has even more time to ensure the film makes its mark
on the science fiction genre, while also combing elements that have worked so well
in other genres he's tackled. And simply put, there’s no reason that Dune can’t do
exactly that. It seems Villeneuve has learnt from Blade Runner 2049’s financial pitfalls,
stacking the cast with bankable stars like Timothée Chalamet, Josh Brolin and
Zendaya. Equally, the wild reaction to the trailer — hitting almost
30 million views and receiving rave fan responses — suggests audiences are more than ready to get
behind this film. The director himself will equally be hoping for its success,
and hopefully a sequel, which is yet to be greenlit, will cover the second half of
Herbert’s novel. Although, the HBO Max news has cast doubt over whether the film’s box
office performance will create further entries, with the director pushing for
it, the success of Godzilla Vs Kong in theatres, and cinemas finally beginning
to open up and do well in many countries, there's a growing possibility for the film
being able to pull off a good performance. But some of the other reasons why Dune is so
anticipated and ones which I'm personally looking forward to, includes those such as the source
material and the technical aspects of the project.
The novel by Frank Herbert, may have has some half decent adaptations, but there is room to really
transport us to this world and get into the initimate drama, which Denis is a perfect fit
for. With themes of survival, growing up, responsibility and preservation,
these are all the right fit for a director who has transcended these messages in previous
work. It could be a project which has the action and visuals, but one which also
gives us an intellectual discussion on on life itself, and this is something
to be hugely excited by. Having read the book, the characters in the novel
go on profoundly impactful journies and end up questioning their experience and being in the
novel's plot. With Denis and his team in charge, alongside the creative control
that's been given to them, we are sure to be in for something special this october.
And speaking of the production team and what we've seen from them so far,
we look to be in for a treat with this too. Hans
Zimmer is creating the score for Dune and has been hugely influenced by the novel growing up,
collating a resume of work on films such as the dark knight trilogy,
Interstellar, Inception, Man of Steel, Gladiator and of course, Blade Runner 2049.
The teaser trailer promised the emotion and scale that Zimmer would bring with his
score and I don't think he'll let us down with Dune. On top of this,
the cinematographer Greig Fraser has an impressive list of work on films such as The Batman 2022,
Zero Dark Thirty, Rogue One, Foxcatcher and episodes of The Mandalorian. Whatever your
opinion is on these films, it cannot be denied that the photography is gorgeous
and with the sprawing visuals that Dune has in it's first trailer,
I can't wait to see what the cinematographer pulls off. The editor of Dune, Joe Walker, also has a
serious list of work, from Blade Runner 2049, to Arrival and others such as 12 Years a Slave.
Along with much other technical tallent, Dune is set to bring together
some of the best in the business in their individual crafts, all for a journey which
is equally exciting and rich in detail. I can't wait to see what Denis Villeneuve
does with the project, and with early viewers stating that the film is on the scale of
The Lord of The rings and is overall, incredible, the excitement cannot be
contained for what kind of film we get later this year.
But they were the reasons why I think Denis Villeneuve's Dune is the most anticipated
film of the year. With the film currently scheduled for release this October,
there’s plenty for fans of Dune to be excited about in the buildup to it's
release date. Despite the frustration of its delay, it’ll surely only lead to a better end
product, and with a true auteur like Villeneuve behind the project,
he will certainly use that extra time to tweak and perfect the film. If the first trailer is
anything to go off, it’s already in an excellent state. The time between now
and October is an exciting one and we are certain to get more trailers, promotional
pictures and sneak peeks in the next few months. Let’s just hope the HBO Max
deal doesn’t prevent one of Hollywood’s best science fiction directors from breathing new
life into one of the genre’s most inspiring franchises, especially one that should be
seen on the big screen. Let me know down below in the comments section whether
you are excited for the new Dune adaptation and what you are looking forward to the most.
For more videos surrounding DUNE leading up to it's release date,
then subscribe to the channel and turn on your notifications. Also if you enjoyed this video
remember to give it a like rating. I will be covering news and topics for DUNE
whenever new information comes out alongside continuing my road to Dune series in the
coming weeks, so look out for all of these uploads. But anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it,
I've been Cortex and as always make some noise.