Fear Is The Mind Killer

Warning: Spoilers for The Dune Novels by Frank Herbert; Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson as well as David Lynch’s Dune

Belle: This is totally the start of a franchise…

Doug: How?

Belle: Because of who isn’t in the film: Feyd and Irulan. They are key to how things go down with the Empire in the novels. So, I would be deeply surprised if they don’t pull an IT and drop a teaser at the very end. Especially since it’s the same studio and production company and they have so many books to work from.

Eric: Oh, it’s going to sneak up on people

Belle: Yup. Especially as they are also doing a series based on the Bene Gesserit. Same director, same cast, on HBO Max

Eric: That could be a really good series. Also Dune has always been a more thoughtful sci-fi series.

Brook: I’m a long-time Dune fan. I raided my mother’s shelf and Herbert’s books (first editions!) in middle school. I watched the Lynch adaptation (including the so-called “Extended Edition”) and owned toys from it. I even soldiered through the Sci-Fi Channel mini-series.

This trailer has me cautiously excited.

I do have a few critiques, such as choosing a Pink Floyd adaptation rather than a more cinematic score. I was also not fond of the focus on Paul’s relationship with Chani, which is a less prevalent plot point in the novel. Despite this, the trailer had many great moments, most notably the scene with Gaius Helen Mohiam ripped straight from the novel. “The Beast” Raban was terrific looking, and I can’t wait to see Baron Harkonnen‘s full image.

Overall, as long as they include as much philosophical discussion as they did epic armies and fights, this movie will please. I’m even fond of how they depicted the sandworm, even if it is 100% meme-worthy and the “butt” of everyone’s jokes.

P.S. Momoa’s Duncan will be awesome, but I feel for those who don’t know the context of the fight scene that was shown.

_{House Atreides}

Belle: Alejandro Jodorowsky wanted Pink Floyd for his Dune adaptation in the 70s so that was a nod to that which I loved. I would posit that Chani’s relationship to Paul is actually extremely important as it influences how he deals with Irulan and was enough that Scytale tries to use it against him in Dune Messiah so it makes sense. Though I have a feeling we’re not getting as much Chani and Paul as we’re being led to believe since this is only part 1.

Oh, Duncan Idaho. Casting Momao is genius if this does turn into a franchise.

On another note, I deeply appreciate that all the characters who are described as POCs are actually cast with…. POCs. Particularly Duke Leto Atreides. I mean last time it was William Hurt playing a man described as ‘olive skin and black hair. He had a narrow face full of angles and planes, with a high-bridged nose that gave him the look of a hawk, and woodsmoke in his gray eyes.’ That? Is not a description of William Hurt. 

Belle: This also goes to my thoughts that this is a stealth franchise. Knowing what I know about how certain character’s fates go down in the books…

Armand: Well it’s a two part movie, so that’s a franchise unto itself.

Eric: True

Armand: Personally Dune isn’t a project that translates to film and I love the previous attempts. To be honest I think the concepts are too sophisticated for a movie audience.

Belle: That’s why I think it’s going to be a series. These books are too dense for even 2 films. The fact that the tv series was built into the plan for making the film in the first place is very telling. Honestly, if they do this right it’ll be the next LOTR series and I’m here for it. This is truly the only film I want to see in a theater so Bengies better have it…

What about you guys? Are you looking forward to Dune as much as we are? Let us know in the comments!

P.S. Check out IMDb’s Shot By Shot Comparison between Dune 1984 and Dune 2020!