Warner Bros. has released the first trailer for the highly anticipated sci-fi epic Dune, the latest film from director Denis Villeneuve.
Dune is the first of two planned films based on the novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, and will cover approximately the first half of the book. The upcoming film features an ensemble cast including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Issac, Dave Bautista and Javier Bardem. Josh Brolin, Rebecca Ferguson and Jason Momoa also star. Hans Zimmer meanwhile will score the film, having reportedly turned down the same role with Tenet in order to do so.
The trailer gives us our first look at the hostile world of Arrakis (aka Dune) and the efforts of the main characters to acquire a valuable substance known as “the spice.” Mining for the spice is a dangerous operation, both because of the intense rivalries and because of the giant sandworms that live under the planet’s surface. The sandworms make themselves known at the end of the trailer, when Chalamet’s character Paul Atreides has to run across collapsing sand in order to escape one.
Immediately clear from the trailer is the scale, beauty and attention to detail of Arrakis. Villeneuve’s style of directing, familiar to those who follow his work, is on full display here. The trailer takes great joy in showcasing as much of the cast as possible, with one of the most impressive line-ups of any film this year. Chalamet was one of the cast members who expressed their excitement on social media.
Previous attempts to bring Dune to the big screen include a 1984 adaptation directed by David Lynch. In 2000, John Harrison adapted the novel into a miniseries that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel.
Dune is the first film from French-Canadian director Villeneuve since Blade Runner 2049, which went down very well with critics but proved to be a commercial disappointment. His other films include Arrival, Sicario and Prisoners.
Dune is due to release in the UK on 18 December.
Words by James Hanton
Support The Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.