A bit of an exception to his filmography, David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune is generally regarded as something of a missed opportunity. Aside from some impressive visuals and scenes, it mostly struggles to pack Herbert’s dense book into a single feature. The new Dune movie from Denis Villeneuve though, which is planned to take place across two parts, is already generating buzz thanks to recently released production photos. However, Lynch has no interest in the project.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, he had this to say on the Dune remake:
“I have zero interest in Dune… Because it was a heartache for me. It was a failure and I didn’t have final cut. I’ve told this story a billion times. It’s not the film I wanted to make. I like certain parts of it very much — but it was a total failure for me.”
The build-up to making Lynch’s Dune involved multiple years of development, including a version by Alejandro Jodorowsky that was unique enough to have been celebrated in the documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune. With the rights to Herbert’s material held by Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis, the project was set to be directed by Ridley Scott, before the filmmaker moved on to Blade Runner. Lynch’s version came after the success of Eraserhead and The Elephant Man, but after a difficult production, saw his work cut down by the producers for theatrical release.
Based on Lynch’s latest comments, it’s clear why Dune is a painful subject for the director, who sought creative control over his following projects. It appears that Villeneuve is being given more freedom to adapt Dune the way he wants to, which will reportedly mean a faithful relationship to Herbert’s novel. Indeed, we’ve already heard some reactions to footage that suggest Villeneuve’s Dune will be a special experience.
The pic is currently targeted for a December 18th release, although given the current instability within the entertainment industry, it’s difficult to be sure of any future dates. With the recent images and commentary coming out of the Dune camp, though, it appears that we can at least expect a trailer to arrive sometime soon, so we’ll be sure to update you as soon as it’s available.