The onset of the global pandemic has halted production and release of many films, although some have released through various OTT platforms, some choose to wait for a later date this year. Dune, like many other films, is set to release later this year in December.
Dune is an adaptation of the 1965 sci-fi novel by Frank Herbert. In 2003 the first book of the Dune saga was called the world’s best selling science fiction novel. In 1984, David Lynch was inspired by this novel and made a movie which was not well received by fans of this book or critics. A mini-series was made in the year 2000 for the cable network and was also a hit, but it is now vaguely remembered by the audience.
As the Dune production moved to regions outside Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, the temperature of 100 degrees rivalled the novel’s setting in real life. Chalamet remembers the costumes of Dune called “stillsuits” as a thick, rubbery armour, which in the movie is life-giving but in real life was agony. The plot of Dune focuses on two families struggling for supremacy over the planet Arrakis and to make it difficult for the filmmakers. Herbert’s novel was hailed for its intricate world-building and ecological aspect in the 1960s.
Chalamet’s character, Paul hails from a powerful galactic family and has a supernatural gift to change the world, unleash energy, lead others to their new home, but is just a boy struggling to find a place in the world. His father, Duke Leto is played by Oscar Issac and mother Lady Jessica is played by Rebecca Ferguson who takes their son to Arrakis to extract “Spice”. With their arrival, a clash takes place with criminals connected to House Harkonnen, led by Baron Vladimir played by Stellan Skarsgard whose character is more of a predator and less of a madman.
The role of Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica, played by Rebecca Ferguson has been expanded, and she’s a member of the Bene Gesserit. The members of this sect are women who can read minds, control people with their voice and manipulate the balance of power in this universe. The script is written by Denis Villeneuve along with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts and they have also updated the role of Dr Liet Kynes, now played by Sharan Duncan-Brewster a black woman. Initially, the character set as a white man playing a leading ecologist in Arrakis and also an independent power broker was changed due to the lack of female characters in this story.
Paul Atreides played by Timothee Chalamet is mentored by two warriors called Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck, played by Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin respectively. Dave Bautista plays an enforcer Glossu Rabba who also happens to be a sinister Harkonnen and Charlotte Rampling plays the key role of Bene Gasserit’s reverend mother. Javier Bardem leads a tribe known as Stilgar with Zendaya co-starring as a mystery woman named Chani, who haunts Paul in his dreams.
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