Denis Villeneuve Says DUNE Is "By Far, the Toughest Thing I've Ever Done"
While we all continue to wait for director Denis Villeneuve’s film adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, the filmmaker is talking about the project with Total Film/Games Radar saying it was "by far, the toughest thing I've done."
As we’ve seen from the trailers that have been released, it certainly looks epic. But his Blade Runner 2049 movie was pretty incredible as well. Regardless, Dune is the film that pushed him to the limit. He goes on to share that he’s dreaming of making this movie since he was a teenager:
"There are deep pleasures when there are images that you're able to achieve that are close to what you had in mind as a teenager; then it's orgasmic. But the failures are very difficult, because you disappoint the teenager in yourself. As Hans Zimmer [who has scored Dune] pointed out, it's very dangerous to try to reach one of your oldest dreams."
Villeneuve felt that making Dune was an "inaccessible, out-of-reach dream" in his career as a director. But that never stopped him from pursuing it and taking notes on his journey as a filmmaker. In 2010 the filmmaker shot his indie drama Incendies in the deserts of Wadi Rum, Jordan, which he would return to a decade later to shoot Dune. He recalled:
"I remember taking mental notes at the time: 'If ever I do the movie, I'm coming back here and there. That's where Paul sits...' But it was a massive fantasy."
Films like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 helped prepare Villeneuve to take on Dune and while he felt he was ready to take it on, there were moments of uncertainty. After all, the book has long been considered unadaptable.
The director said, "I have some kind of a self-destructive device inside me to take projects that are out of my reach." He then went on to share that in his moments of uncertainty he would turn to a mantra from a book that shaped his adolescence: "I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear."
Well, Villeneuve ended up getting to accomplish his dream. He took on the challenge of adapting this epic book and it looks awesome! Now we’re all just waiting around to be able to watch it!
Warner Bros. describes Dune as, "A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive."
The film’s cast includes Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Zendaya as Chani, Stellan Skarsgard as Baron Harkonnen, Javier Bardem as tribe leader Stilgar, Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Mohiam, David Dastmcalchian as Piter De Vries, Chang Chen as Dr. Yueh, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Liet-Kynes, and Dave Bautista as the Baron’s nephew Rabban.
Dune will finally open in theaters on October 21st.