It’s been a while since we heard anything about Legendary’s Dune reboot, so an update was definitely in order.
This year’s update is that Call Me By Your Name star Timothee Chalamet is in talks for the lead role of Paul Atreides.
Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Sicario) is directing from a screenplay by veteran screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump, The Insider, The Good Shepherd). With that solid combo, we’re expecting big things.
The film is based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi novel of the same name. It is being produced by Villeneuve, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter, with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, Thomas Tull and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers
It will be the second big screen Dune adaptation after David Lynch’s fascinating but largely unwatchable 1984 film starring Kyle MacLachlan. In 2000, a miniseries adapted by John Harrison titled Frank Herbert’s Dune aired on the Sci-Fi Channel.
“Set in the distant future, Dune follows Paul Atreides, whose family assumes control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, jurisdiction over Arrakis is contested among competing noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature, as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s reign.”
Dune does not currently have a release date. Keep up with the latest genre news with the new issue of SciFiNow.