The first trailer for Denis Villeneuve's Dune has recieved a less than stellar reception from one filmmaker. Alejandro Jodorowsky, director behind the 1970 film adaptation attempt, gave his thoughts on the recent trailer, which were rather mixed.
"I saw the trailer. It's very well done," Jodorowsky told Le Point Pop. "We can see that it is industrial cinema, that there is a lot of money, and that it was very expensive," he stated, adding, "But if it was very expensive, it must pay in proportion. And that is the problem: There [are] no surprises. The form is identical to what is done everywhere. The lighting, the acting, everything is predictable." In the end, he did wish Villeneuve luck with his adaptation.
Jodorowsky had infamously tried to film an adaptation of Dune in the 1970s. His efforts were ultimately chronicled in the 2013 documentary Jodorowsky's Dune. David Lynch would eventually direct a film adapation in 1984. The production was famously troubled, although the film has become a cult classic over the years. Other adaptations include a 2000 miniseries from the SyFy Channel.
Dune focuses on Paul Atriedes, the son of Duke Leto Atriedes. When Leto is given control over the desert planet of Arrakis, Paul ends up meeting the desert dwelling Fremen and eventually learns of his grand destiny. Villeneuve intends to split the adapation of the novel into two films.
Directed by Denis Villeneuve from a script he co-wrote with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts, Legendary Pictures' Dune stars Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Chang Chen as Dr. Wellington Yueh, Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Dr. Liet Kynes, Charlotte Rampling as Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Dave Bautista Glossu Rabban, David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, Stephen Henderson as Thufir Hawat, and Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck. The film arrives in theaters Dec. 18.
(via IndieWire)