Legendary Pictures Has Picked Up the Film and TV Rights to DUNE
Legendary Pictures has just picked up the film and TV rights to Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel Dune. A new version of this film has been in and out of development for years, and with Legendary Pictures taking over the rights, it's sure to finally happen.
I've actually really been wanting to see Dune get a new film adaptation! David Lynch's 1984 film was decent enough and has a strong cult following, but the story has the potential to be a much better movie. Hopefully Legendary can bring the right team of talent on board to give fans of the book the best adaptation possible.
Set in the distant future, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides whose family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, control of Arrakis is highly contested among the noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s control of Arrakis.
There's no information on who might be involved in the project, but over the years it has passed through the hands of Peter Berg (Lone Survivor) and Pierre Morel (Taken), and Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) has also expressed interest. I doubt any of them will be involved with this new production.
It's awesome to see that there is still interest in a new Dune movie. I think it's in good hands at Legendary. I'd be fine with a film or a TV series as long as the story is solid and reminiscent of Herbert's classic story. Here are all the details from the press release:
LEGENDARY ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES RIGHTS TO FRANK HERBERT’S CLASSIC SCI-FI NOVEL DUNE
Burbank, CA – November 21, 2016 – Legendary and the Frank Herbert estate have reached an agreement granting the production entity the film and television motion picture rights to the beloved novel DUNE, one of the most revered science fiction novels of all time. The agreement calls for the development and production of possible film and television projects for a global audience. The projects would be produced by Thomas Tull, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter, with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers.
Set in the distant future, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides whose family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, control of Arrakis is highly contested among the noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s control of Arrakis.
Dune has long been considered the crown jewel of science fiction properties. Its legacy and influence is witnessed in everything from STAR WARS to THE MATRIX and often referred to as the science fiction version of LORD OF THE RINGS with its sprawling world and multi-dimensional politics.
The agreement was negotiated by Mike Ross and Jen Grazier on behalf of Legendary and Marcy Morris and Barry Tyerman of JTWAMMK on behalf of the Herbert family.
About Legendary Entertainment
Legendary Entertainment is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences. Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world’s most popular intellectual property. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have realized grosses of more than $13 billion worldwide at the box office. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com