Denis Villeneuve is arguably the hottest filmmaker in Hollywood right now, especially when it comes to science fiction and sci-fi remakes. Because now, Villeneuve will direct the long-gestating Dune remake.
The news came from Brian Herbert, son of Dune author Frank Herbert, via his Twitter feed:
It's official — Legendary Pictures has signed the very talented Denis Villeneuve to direct the exciting new DUNE series film project.
— Brian Herbert (@DuneAuthor) February 1, 2017
And it looks like Dune will be a “film series” as well. Denis Villeneuve recently got his first (probably of many) Oscar nominations for Arrival, and he has Blade Runner 2049 coming up this year. He’s the new go to for sci-fi, apparently.
David Lynch’s 1984 film adaptation of the celebrated novel, starring Lynch regular Kyle MacLachlan and Sting, was a notorious misfire. The budget spiraled out of control and the box office did very little to pay the tab. These days, it’s somewhat of a cult classic for fans of the novel and Lynch.
The pairing of Lynch and Dune didn’t make a ton of sense, and it still doesnt, but Villeneuve and the subject matter feels like a more effective pairing. We shall see.
There’s no word as far as shooting times or release date or cast as of yet. We will keep you up to date when that news comes down.
