Denis Villeneuve has waited a while to showcase his latest film to mainstream audiences. “Dune,” based on Frank Herbert‘s iconic series of novels, is a high-budget fantasy epic with an all-star cast starring Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, and Josh Brolin, just to name a few of the film’s stars right now. Warner Brothers have moved the film’s release date several times because of the pandemic, from December 2020 to October 1. The film is now coming out several weeks later to the public on October 22, after premiering at the Venice Film Festival.
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Villeneuve is no stranger to big-budget blockbusters. His previous film, “Blade Runner: 2049,” cost $150 million to make, per Box Office Mojo. That film grossed just over $259.3 million worldwide, not a bad total for a long sci-fi sequel of a classic from the early 1980s, but not the most successful.
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The writer-director took on another steep challenge: adapting Herbert’s story about war, power, and control on a desert planet somewhere in time. David Lynch helmed an adaptation of “Dune,” released in 1984 that flopped both critically and commercially.
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The original trailer for the film, released last fall, gives little clarity to the exact nature of the plot. The main crux is that Chalamet’s character, Paul Atreides, must travel to a dangerous planet to save his people. That original trailer teased the film’s otherworldly scale. Said trailer also featured composer Hans Zimmer’s remixed version of Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse.” The film actually has a huge cast and also features Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.
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Villeneuve has a knack for crafting visually stunning pieces, from “Blade Runner 2049” to “Sicario” and “Arrival.” All three of those stories center around either alien life forms or deserts, so “Dune” will no doubt be a thought-provoking feast for the eyes.
“Dune” is set to be released simultaneously in both theaters and on HBOMAX on October 22. Some fans saw the trailer along with a preview of the score and exclusive footage at screenings across the country on July 21 and 22. Watch the new trailer below.
