Dune (2021 film)

Dune
Official logo
Premiere date	December 18, 2020
Directed by	Denis Villeneuve
Written by	Eric Roth Denis Villeneuve Jon Spaihts
Produced by	Mary Parent Cale Boyter Joe Caracciolo Denis Villeneuve

Dune is a forthcoming movie adaptation of Frank Herbert's original novel. It will adapt about the first half of the novel. It is scheduled for release in theaters on December 18, 2020.

The film is directed by Denis Villeneuve, from a script penned by Eric Roth, Denis Villeneuve, and Jon Spaihts, produced by Legendary Entertainment, and distributed by Warner.

Synopsis

Official synopsis of Dune from the press release:

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, "Dune" tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Full description from the press site:

Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) directs Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Dune,” the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).

Villeneuve directed “Dune” from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth based on the novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. Villeneuve also produced the film with Mary Parent, Cale Boyter and Joe Caracciolo, Jr. The executive producers are Tanya Lapointe, Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert.

Behind the scenes, Villeneuve reteamed with two-time Oscar-nominated production designer Patrice Vermette (“Arrival,” “Sicario,” “The Young Victoria”), two-time Oscar-nominated editor Joe Walker (“Blade Runner 2049,” “Arrival,” “12 Years a Slave”), two-time Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert (“First Man,” “Blade Runner 2049”), and Oscar-winning special effects supervisor Gerd Nefzer (“Blade Runner 2049”). He also collaborated for the first time with Oscar-nominated director of photography Greig Fraser (“Lion,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”); three-time Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (“The Revenant,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Quills”) and co-costume designer Bob Morgan; and stunt coordinator Tom Struthers (“The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception”). Oscar-winning and multiple Oscar-nominated composer Hans Zimmer (“Blade Runner 2049,” “Inception,” “Gladiator,” “The Lion King”) is creating the score.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present “Dune.”

Cast

• Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
• Rebecca Ferguson as Jessica Atreides
• Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides
• Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck
• Stellan Skarsgård as Vladimir Harkonnen
• Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban Harkonnen
• Stephen McKinley Henderson is Thufir Hawat
• Zendaya as Chani Kynes
• Chang Chen as Wellington Yueh
• Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Liet Kynes
• Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen Mohiam
• Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho
• Javier Bardem as Stilgar
• David Dastmalchian as Piter de Vries

Development and production

Legendary Entertainment acquired the rights to make a Dune film in November 2016. Filming began in March 2019. It was filmed in Budapest, Hungary, and in Jordan.

Despite wrapping production in 2019, it was confirmed that several scenes would be reshot in Budapest ahead of the December 18th, 2020 release date. Scenes reshot are reported to include additional cinematic footage and extra photo shoots; further reshoots places Dune in post-production for over a year.

Notable similarities with the original Dune

• Gaius Helen Mohiam administers the Gom Jabbar test to determine whether Paul is human.

Gallery

Images

Chani

Duke Leto Atreides

Gurney Halleck

Empire magazine cover

First look image, featuring Paul on Caladan

Paul and Lady Jessica

Duncan Idaho

Behind the scenes

Videos

Dune Official Trailer

External links

Official links:

• Dune (2021 film) on Twitter
• Dune (2021 film) on Instagram
• Facebook: DuneMovie
• WarnerBros: Dune