How Dune Changed Sci-Fi Movies (& Denis Villeneuve Can Do It Again)

Frank Herbert’s epic novel Dune helped to reshape the face of science-fiction, and if all goes to plan, Denis Villeneuve’s big-screen adaptation could do the very same. First published in 1965, Frank Herbert's Dune is one of the true icons of the genre, with the story of Paul Atreides helping to shape sci-fi and fantasy stories for years to come. It's a game-changer that has never truly gotten its moment to shine on the big screen, despite a previous adaptation from director David Lynch.

That's something Denis Villeneuve's upcoming adaptation of Dune could make right. The Christmas 2020 movie release calendar is notable for its distinct lack of expected franchises. There's no new Star Wars movie, no Marvel or DC title, and no flashy Disney animation to lure in audiences over the holiday season. There are two major blockbusters hoping to entice those profitable crowds: Top Gun: Maverick, a flashy Tom Cruise sequel, and Dune.

It's the latter that seems the more enticing to film lovers. Based on one of the great science-fiction novels of the past hundred years, Dune is a risk, but one that will possibly be extremely rewarding. If Veilleneuve & Co. make Dune a success, then it could pave the way for sci-fi's future in a way that the book did upon release.

When Frank Herbert released Dune in 1965, initially as two separate serials in the sci-fi magazine Analog before publishing it in book form, it was an instant hit with critics, although it would take a few years for its loyal fanbase of readers to grow. It tied for the Hugo Award for Best Novel and was the first-ever winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel, two honors that remain the pinnacle of achievement in the genre. To this day, the book is talked about in terms of its status as one of, if not the greatest science-fiction novel of the 20th century. Arthur C. Clarke said, "I know nothing comparable to it except Lord of the Rings" while critic P. Schuyler Miller declared it to be "one of the landmarks of modern science fiction." In 2019, the BBC named Dune as one of the 100 most inspiring novels of all time, listing it as one of the books that has helped to shape our world, an honor it shares with other sci-fi titles like The Chronicles of Narnia and Frankenstein.

Simply listing the various achievements of Dune does not do its legacy justice. Its influence over the following 55-years of science-fiction and fantasy is near-immeasurable. Everything from Iron Maiden to Hayao Miyazaki to Futurama to Warhammer cite Dune has a major influence. Arguably the most notable piece of pop culture influenced by Dune is a little series called Star Wars. This was something that did not escape Frank Herbert, who told an Oregon newspaper (via Nerdist) way back in the 1970s that Star Wars had ripped him off. He even said, "I’m going to try very hard not to sue."

The basic storytelling parallels between Dune and Star Wars are glaringly obvious once you know where to look: Tatooine versus Arrakis; Princess Leia versus Princess Alia; the similarities of Luke and Paul’s arcs and the power structures of the Jedi and Bene Gesserit. YouTuber Quinn's Ideas laid out the comparisons in full. The real power of Dune’s influence can be found in how it helped to indelibly shape science-fiction for decades afterward, a trend that continues to this day. The book paved the way for the mainstreaming of the genre in a big way thanks to how it melded together traditional expectations of sci-fi with aspects of fantasy and social realism with its dense historiological allegory. It also endures because, as time passes, its politics remain eerily relevant. For a book that is very much of its time, Dune has managed to transcend the decades and retain its sharpness in a way many of its literary contemporaries simply could not.

The cinematic rights to Dune became major Hollywood fodder almost as soon as it was published. The option fell from producer to producer, with names like David Lean being thrown around to direct. Alejandro Jodorowsky, the now-legendary cult director, famously never got to complete his wild vision for a Dune movie, the subject of which is now its own documentary. Ultimately, the job fell to one David Lynch, then a rising star in the industry after making a splash with his debut Eraserhead and landing a Best Director Oscar nomination for his follow-up, The Elephant Man. Given what we know now about how Lynch’s career would develop with titles like Twin Peaks, he seems like the ideal director for a Dune adaptation on paper. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite as planned.

Lynch’s directorial efforts on Dune were seriously hindered by producer meddling. Lynch intended the film to be around three hours long, but Universal and producer Dino De Laurentiis expected the industry standard of two hours, so numerous scenes were cut and voice-overs were added to try and explain the complex plotting. Lynch was denied final cut and has since gone on to distance himself from the movie. Some cuts of Dune even carry the Alan Smithee pseudonym rather than Lynch's directorial credit. To this day, Lynch prefers to avoid discussing Dune and admits that he has no plans to see Villeneuve's version.

The David Lynch Dune was a classic case of vaulting ambition, studio micromanaging, and a distinct lack of trust in the source material. Ironically, given its influence on George Lucas, Lynch’s Dune was criticized heavily for being a wannabe Star Wars. Indeed, the studio seemed keen to replicate that franchise’s mega-success without understanding how Herbert’s work simply could not be truncated into a bite-sized popcorn movie with family appeal.

After decades of development hell and announced plans that went nowhere, Legendary Studios finally announced in 2016 their intention to adapt Dune for the big screen once more, now with Oscar-nominated director Denis Villeneuve, fresh from the critical successes of Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, at the helm. With Warner Bros. on distribution duties, this new take on Dune seems to have spared no expense, with an all-star cast that includes Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, and Jason Momoa, as well as music by Hans Zimmer and a planned IMAX and 3D release the week before Christmas 2020 (assuming the current COVID-19 pandemic does not lead to more movie rescheduling for the studio, which remains a distinct possibility).

The new Dune is coming out at a time in film where massive budgets and high concept genre fare are not only the standard but the basic foundations of the industry thanks to expanded franchises like the Marvel cinematic universe and the Disney era of Star Wars. The lion’s share of these billion-dollar successes, however, have been pre-established IPs and nostalgic favorites, all of which are noted for their wide-reaching family and international appeal. Dune presents a fascinating alternative to the current norm. It’s just as expensive and lavishly produced as, say, The Last Jedi but its demographic is decidedly more adult. Herbert’s book is dense, deeply political, and far from an easy read. Adapting it in any form was always going to be a mighty task and one that is inherently incompatible with the core intentions of blockbuster cinema. That’s partly what makes the sheer existence of Villeneuve’s Dune movie something of a minor Hollywood miracle.

By the typical rules of blockbuster cinema, Dune never should have made it out of pre-production: It’s thematically dense, it’s utterly unsuitable for family audiences, and its source material is not a major household name in the way that studios now demand of franchise fare. Warner Bros. and Legendary are taking a real risk on Dune just in terms of budget and scale, with a sequel and prequel miniseries planned. If they pull this off then it could pave the way for more lavish mainstream hard sci-fi fare that isn’t reliant on multi-billion dollar IPs or pandering to kids. It’s a gamble but one that could change the game if it pays off come Christmas 2020.