Dune

About Dune

"Dune" is a 2021 American science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve. This epic and visually stunning movie is based on the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. It is the story of Paul Atreides, a young man from a noble family tasked with ensuring the safety of the desert planet Arrakis (known as Dune), the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe - "the spice". The plot unpacks betrayal, politics, and coming-of-age themes as Paul must rise to the occasion amidst adversary.

Making / Production

"Dune" was produced by Villeneuve, Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, and Joe Caracciolo Jr. with Tanya Lapointe, Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt, and Kim Herbert acting as executive producers. The film is a co-production of United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Hungary and was shot in Hungary, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Norway, and the United States.

Actors

• Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides. Chalamet gave an engrossing performance as the young hero coming to terms with his destiny.
• Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Paul’s mother. Ferguson brought, depth and complexity to the role of the Bene Gesserit witch.
• Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Skarsgard depicted the cruel and cunning nature of the main antagonist with conviction.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film is the third adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel, following a 1984 movie by David Lynch and a 2000 miniseries on SyFy.
• Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused many 2020 and 2021 films to be delayed or released on streaming platforms, Dune had both a theatrical and same-day streaming release on HBO Max.

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's original score was composed by the Hans Zimmer, a frequent collaborator of Villeneuve. The soundtrack creates a unique atmosphere reflecting the vast, desertic landscapes and the epic scope of the story.