New Dune Movie

Here you will find all the latest information on the new attempt to bring Frank Herbert's novel "Dune" to the big screen!

Current Status

First draft completed by Josh Zetumer (Source: The Rouge Wave)
Concept art produced by "Jock" (Mark Simpson)
Could be greenlit soon (Source: io9)
Robert Pattinson (Twilight) has apparently meet with director Peter Berg, but it is unknown what they discussed. Could Pattinson go from vampire to Kwisatz Haderach?
Peter Berg 'not directing' (Source: Byron Merritt at dunenovels.com forum)
Pierre Morel (Taken, 13th District) takes over as director.

Pierre Morel on Dune

"Oh my God yes, I’ve been a fan of that book – because I will not refer to [Lynch's] movie – I’ve been a fan of the book since I was a teenager… as a David Lynch movie, I loved it. [But] as a ‘Dune’ fan [of the book], I was not such a big fan."

I’ve been reading it [the original book] over and over again – well, I’m 45 now, so for 30 years… So, by the time I bought the sixth book I had already read the first one six times! So, I’m a hardcore fan.

[My movie] is all about the first book. I’m trying to be very respectful to the original novel… But it’s a challenge; there’s a lot of expectation, all the readers will be waiting for me with their shotguns. All the non-readers will also be waiting for us, because it’s such a complex, rich novel and you have to make it accessible to those who have not read the book. So, it’s a tough challenge but I’m very excited about that.”

Pierre Morel at MTV Movies Blog

Peter Berg (who is no longer directing) on Dune

My experience with the book was different than David Lynch's experience or the people behind the Sci Fi Channel's experience. I found it to be more of an adventure tale, more of a muscular action/adventure story. I think that's my approach, not as an R-rated film, but as a pretty hard PG-13 film about a young man dealing with issues of vengeance over the death of his father and wanting some payback and having to come to terms with his destiny along the way.

Peter Berg at MTV Movies Blog

"I think I had a much more different experience, I think, with the book than David Lynch did. To me, I think my interpretation will feel significantly different from that and the [Syfy] Channel miniseries that aired. I have a different experience than both of those filmmakers did."

"[The book] was much more muscular and adventurous, more violent and possibly even a little bit more fun, I think those are all elements of my experience of the book that can be brought in without offending the die-hard fans of the Bene Gesserit and Kwisatz Haderach. There's a more dynamic film to be made."

"I'm finishing this [documentary] now, we're editing it now, I think it's going to be in the Toronto Film Festival. [I'm] working now on getting Friday Night Lights up for the new season and getting Dune up and running. I'm working all the time."

Peter Berg at Sci Fi Wire

We're gonna have a script in at the end of this month [January 2009]. Josh Zetumer's writing the script. I fully intend to do it. It's another example of where I'm aware that there's -- I don't think rabid is a strong enough word -- fanbase for the film, and I understand that some people support me directing it and some don't. All I can tell you is that I was as much a fan of the book as anyone, and I'm really looking forward to getting that script in.

To me, the book had a tone that was, for lack of a better word, more muscular. It was a little dirtier, it was scarier, it was rougher, it was more intense, and I think that Lynch's film and the Sci Fi miniseries took a tack that was different. It wasn't any of those things as I remember the book being. There were so many different aspects of Herbert and his personality.... I will focus on -- again, for lack of a better word -- a rougher, more muscular version of Herbert's work. A more muscular interpretation.

There's a scope to Dune, and certainly a Shakespearian quality to that family, that I don't pretend to ignore.

Peter Berg at Television Without Pity

"The hype around [Dune] is understandable but it's a little excessive. The fanatics are worried I'm going to destroy it - I'm like calm down, I read the book when I was a kid too! If you re-read it - it's just a great adventure story. There is a spirituality to it, and a mysticism, and there is a parallel metaphorically about oil, the corporatisation of resources - but at the end of the day, it's about a kid becoming a leader. There's incredible action in it and really great intrigue and betrayals, it's Shakespearean in its scope and I think it'll be a blast."

Peter Berg at guardian.co.uk

One, with the advances in CGI, we'll be doing things Lynch couldn't do. Two, I had a completely different experience with the book than he did.

I look forward to taking it on as an adventure story, in the vein of "Star Wars," "Indiana Jones" and "Lord of the Rings." It's a big, bold adventure story. That's how I see it.

And, yes, I am out of my mind.

Peter Berg at austin360.com

There is a sense in the book that the commodity is driving the train. But I don't want to hang the story on that. I read the book and really liked it. What I never saw in Lynch's film was a really strong adventure story. There's a much more muscular time to be had there.

Peter Berg at The Hollywood Reporter

Cast & Crew

Studio	Paramount Pictures
Release Date	2010 (?)
Director	Peter Berg Neill Blompkamp ??? Neil Marshall ???
Writer	Frank Herbert (novel) Josh Zetumer (in negotiations)
Producer	Kevin Misher
Producer	Richard Rubenstein Executive Producer of "Dune" miniseries Executive Producer of "Children of Dune" miniseries
Producer	Sarah Aubrey
Executive Producer	John Harrison Writer/Director of "Dune" miniseries Writer/Producer of "Children of Dune" miniseries
Executive Producer	Mike Messina Assistant Producer of "Dune" miniseries Associate Producer of "Children of Dune" miniseries
Co-Producer	Kevin J. Anderson Co-author of the "Legends of Dune" trilogy, the "Prelude to Dune" trilogy, "Hunters of Dune" and "Sandworms of Dune"
Co-Producer	Brian Herbert Son of Frank Herbert Co-author of the "Legends of Dune" trilogy, the "Prelude to Dune" trilogy, "Hunters of Dune" and "Sandworms of Dune"
Budget	$175 Million

News

Links

• New Dune Film from Paramount (DuneNovels.com)
• Berg to direct 'Dune' for Paramount (Variety)
• Peter Berg Will Direct 'Dune' (MTV Blog)
• More On That New Dune Project... (Ain't It Cool News)
• New original Dune Movie? (DuneNovels.com Forum)