How Does Kyle MacLachlan Feel About Denis Villeneuve’s DUNE Reboot?
Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel Dune has been deemed too metaphysical for film; essentially declared unadaptable by the cinematic powers that be. Even before David Lynch’s colossal flop from 1984 (which has since become a cult classic), Alejandro Jodorowsky spent years developing a script and collaborating with H.R. Giger on concept art for Dune before a skyrocketing projected budget ended that production before it even began.
But that’s not stopping Denis Villeneuve from giving it a shot, and his version of Dune already has a November 2020 release date and a cast overflowing with Hollywood A-Listers. Will he be able to deliver what his predecessors couldn’t: A compelling adaptation of Herbert’s high-concept sci-fi in a manner that’s entertaining and true to the source material?
Back in 1984, Kyle MacLachlan starred as Paul Atreides in Lynch’s Dune. He recently sat down with the folks at AM to DM to weigh in on Villeneuve’s reboot:
“I’m curious to see what happens, you know, he’s [Denis Villeneuve] getting together a great cast obviously, really talented people. It’s a challenging piece of material to try to bring to the screen, so I wish him luck with that, if anyone can do it, he’ll do a great job. He’s a terrific filmmaker. The book, I’m kind of a nerd about the book. I read it when I was 15 for the first time. I know the book very well. There are three sections, you can break that into three movies and still have a lot left over.”
It seems like MacLachlan is warning Villeneuve not to bite off more than he can chew. Of course, studios rarely (if ever) greenlight entire trilogies, so it’s a complex situation. Villeneuve needs to deliver a box office success in order to guarantee a sequel while keeping it self-contained should the opportunity never come. Yikes!
Cast members confirmed or in talks to appear in Dune include: Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides; Rebecca Ferguson as Jessica Atreides; Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto; Zendaya as Chani; Javier Bardem as Stilgar; Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck; Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban; Stellan Skarsgård as Vladimir Harkonnen; Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam; and Jason Momoa is in talks to play Duncan Idaho.
While we watch the project come to fruition, take a stroll down Memory Lane by revisiting the synopsis and trailer for Lynch’s Dune below.
Synopsis:
In the year 10191, a spice called melange
is the most valuable substance known in the universe, and its only source is
the desert planet Arrakis. A royal decree awards Arrakis to Duke Leto Atreides
and ousts his bitter enemies, the Harkonnens. However, when the Harkonnens
violently seize back their fiefdom, it is up to Paul (Kyle MacLachlan), Leto’s
son, to lead the Fremen, the natives of Arrakis, in a battle for control of the
planet and its spice. Based on Frank Herbert’s epic novel.
What do you guys think about Villeneuve’s Dune? Is the novel really unadaptable? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
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