Peter, listen - I appreciate your passion for the work, and your vision sounds cool . . . but . . . it's enough with all the different DUNE versions already . . . ! How about God Emperor of Dune? Or better yet, what about doing the Butlerian Jihad trilogy? Now THAT would be something to see . . .

Berg's comment about having a "different experience with the book" than David Lynch is a good sign. Lynch's films, including Dune, show a consistent hatred for humanity, a sense that we are all disgusting creatures of evil intent. Hopefully Berg's "different experience" will help him avoid the idiocy of Lynch's version of the Baron and such.

Spacejockey, I agree that I'd rather see God Emperor than another retread of Dune, but seriously--the Butlerian Jihad trilogy? All of those prequel novels were dreadful, with none of the flavor or fun of Frank Herbert's work. Sure, they pulled up details from Dune's past, but the books were dreadful.

I'd rather see David Lynch make another bad Dune than see those rotten books adapted.

Dune is one of the best scifi novels ever.as far as the david lynch film go's.i agree with harlan ellison it's a better film than often given credit for.especially the directors cut.witch i first seen on this network.but another remake?when there are so many classic scifi novels that would make good movies

I agree with hermy that Lynch's film is really better than people give him credit for, not the best film it could have been but not the total bomb alot of people say it was. I do think the stark black suits against the completely red sand as camoflaogue was stupid.

As for the SyFy channel adaptation, not that I don't love the channel and alot of what it does, but that was much worse than Lynch's ever tried to be. I mean, come on, the Imperial princes slutting around to get information she wanted? Her father would have killed her because it made him look bad. And the way that Jessica was portrayed was as a whining debutante who couldn't do anything for herself. This is the woman who willfully went againt the Benne Gesserit and all her training to have a male child because she was in love and she can't stop crying? Even to save her son's (the possible male of prophecy) life and live? That's ridiculous. I will admit it was visually more beautiful and the SYFy channel definately got the darn suits right. Those were beautiful. Too bad the storyline and how it played it was horrid.

I think that someone giving it another is kind of nice. If Berg can pull off a more action filled movie WHILE keeping enough of the Kwisatz Haderach story there (and the passion I think Lynch felt, even if not fully realized) than he has a shot at making a really good film of a really great book.

A side note on the comment that Lynch focused on the evil's of hunamity and the Baron. While I agree that his version of the Baron was kind of like a cracked-out killer clown, the Herbert version was an open pedophile who was vile on much deeper levels than Lynch showed him. So for my part, I'd rather see ugly floatiny acne boy than the true monster Herbert wanted us to imagine in our minds.

Dune is a classic for people who like to READ. It appeals to the cerebral. It won't cross over into the mainstream, and those who already love it are not clamoring for yet another attempt to film it.
Also, I'll never forgive Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson for their sadistic intellectual butchery of Frank Herbert's planned conclusion.

I'm a long-time fan of the Lynch version because, aside from the fact that it led to my discovery of this classic book, it's just so infinitely quotable... "Remember the tooth! THE TOOOOOTH!!!!"

But really, here's what it comes down to: instead of looking at Dune as a challenge to be overcome in the cinematic sense, just leave it alone. It's a masterpiece. Don't get me wrong: I own both film versions on DVD, and enjoy watching them both, but hey, why not [gasp!] make a truly original sci-fi movie instead of trying to show us all just how well you can fancy-dance atop Herbert's grave?

Yes God Emperor of Dune would ROCK, personally, although yes, think Dune is great I LOVED this other story, in fact loved the whole series but God Emperor is the stand out! Now THAT would be an amazing film...

Enough with the Dune remakes, let's move on to something else, like Dragonriders of Pern!

my handle says it all!! bring it on!!

How about a tv show? Turn God Emperor into a mini series. Then start the tv series with Heretics of Dune. You have nearly a completly new set of characters besides Duncan Idaho.

STOP REMAKING DUNE, STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP! Why the heck are they remaking DUNE? My God MAN!

So many cool books in the series and they're remaking the same ole' two step? Forget this man!

I completely agree that there are enough versions of the DUNE out there for now, and that the focus should now be set upon doing TV miniseries or movie (miniseries preferably, as the time allotments gives a much larger canvas to do one's work) series for the Butlerian Jihad trilogy, and later the Houses Trilogy, and even the newest book, and the post-Dune books, and the re-ensuing battles that happen there. It is not the books that are badly written, but their adaptation to the screen has been lacking. (Also, the cut down version of the original hurt, as the long cut is better presented, and reveals the inner workings of DUNE better!).
I can only hope that someone really does undertake the project soon, so I can possibly see it in my lifetime!
But again, to remake the already made is senseless... hit new territory! - KH

I want the crazy Jodorosky version. Or a 100+ ep ova series like Legend of the Galactic Heroes.

I want a six season TV show myself. But then Dune is hard to film because most of the real action takes place inside of people's heads. That's why I didn't mind Lynch using internal monologue in his movie. But even he couldn't convey how clever these characters all are. And I agree, they keep screwing up Jessica and making her seem weak.

I will most definitely watch a remake, but I also think something else would be better. God Emperor was probably my second favorite book, but I'm not sure it would make a good movie. The might be able to merge Heretics and Chapterhouse into a fun flick. The Miles Teg scenes would kick ass in this post Matrix movie environment.

I really liked the Sci Fi Channel version of Dune and it's sequel Children of Dune. I think they need to go from there and make the sequels. I almost think they need to skip God Emperor because I always hated that book. I think it was stupid that they turned Leto into a sand wurm with a human face. For me it was the only hiccup in Frank Herbert's well written series.

Don't get me started on the horrible books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson. The House books were ok and I could only force my self to read the Butterlarian Jihad, which could have been decent if every chapter they didn't repeat everything they'd already told us. I can't force myself to read anymore if they're as bad as that one.

Back to the main subject I also liked the Lynch version because of the nostalgia from watching it when I was a kid.

They should only remake it again if they plan on making all the other movies too. If they don't then they shouldn't even bother.

Wait people liked Sci Fi's Dune?!

WHO?! They completely rewrote the book and destroyed Paul's and Leto's relationship. Paul loved his father, idolized his father, and was not an angry EMO kid! I hated it.

David Lynch may not have had the technology needed to make Dune but he did an amazing job. The director's cut is amazing. Yes the Baron did not have puss pockets but it was Dino the producer wanted and so they did it.

Sci Fi was blaring their own tune saying people liked their version.

Lynch followed the novel word by word almost. Sci Fi violated it.

I die a little bit when someone mentions yes I have seen the Dune Movie (Lynch's version).

That was so far deom Dune the books...I guess he read the cliff notes.

ENOUGH !

you stupid 30-40 old nerds ! stop to reinvent my childhood EVERY WEEK !

Go to create NEW things or create new wonderful stories for the children of now !

My goodness! You can get back in your pram and take your toys with you now my young friend :)

Personally this nerd would love to see someone do justice to the first novel in the series and then go on to do the same for the other original books.

I did enjoy the spin-offs as i loved the universe Frank Herbert had created in my mind and to be there again, even though the beauty of the language was somewhat paler, was rewarding.

As to wether or not a film could be made from the preludes well my money would be on something centred on Erasmus. Being a little ocd myself, the father of the mentats has quite a draw. (brutality without conscience or remorse aside, naturally)

The biggest problem with the Lynch version was the ending that completley contradicted the premise of Muad'dib becoming Emperor.

The only thing I liked about Scifi is their treatment of Dune Messiah.

How about going by the book folks?

When I first read Dune, I was in 10th grade. My English teacher gave me her paperback--thought I'd like it.

I loved it. But, I remember thinking back then that the book was SO epic that there was no way they could make a film that could do it justice.

I saw Dune, the film, and Dune, the mini, and while I liked elements of both, I still think they should have left the book alone. It's almost like it needs to be treated on the scale of the LotR films to do it any kind of justice.

There has never been, and probably will never be, a Director's Cut of Lynch's Dune. Goodness, we nerds have had 25 years to contemplate this and we still don't understand the basics here?

There is a longer version in which they cut some deleted scenes back in with unfinished special effects (gee, where did the Fremen blue eyes go?), ruined the music and often the narrative flow, and reused inappropriate footage. It's interesting for us fans to get to see the Water of Life made and see Patrick Stewart play the Stick, but that's about it.

Lynch had exactly the right idea in terms of design and focus, and, despite some flaws, that's as good as a feature-length film as we could reasonably expect. SciFi's first effort was hit and miss; Children of Dune was better. If Berg wants to turn Dune into an action film, he's going to come in a distant third. Better special effects technology isn't going to make a lick of difference.

The Anderson/B. Herbert books are not worth considering.

Come on, folks, this is a pure puff piece. This "director" (of an ESPN documentary) is merely floating an idea about "writing" a script for a Dune movie. That is so far from a green light it isn't even funny (about the only further you can get is "I heard it from a friend of a friend").

The odds of a Dune movie actually coming about from this are on an order of, say, Adam Sandler making a decent comedy (IOW, nil). So relax.

(Based on comments by actual working directors at the Comic Con it's unlikely money can be found for these kinds of big budget Sci-Fi movies except those made by those big named boys anymore. Times are tough, and money is tight and it ain't gonna change much for the next decade or two).

Enough of the Dune remakes. I say go for the prequels and put them on the big screen - House Atriedes, House Harkonnen, and House Corrino.

I really liked the Rundown and I'm really hoping that he would turn it up a notch and call his version of Dune something else since all of the Dune movies kinda sucked so far.

It looks a bit closer than "a friend of a friend":

www.imdb.com/title/tt1160419/

Hardly -- imdb publishes as many "rumors" as any industry rag.

Trust me -- I work in it -- these things are floated more often than stools in a toilet. And it smells just as bad.

*BARF*

Eat vomit

*BARF*

Repeat!

I had just read the novel DUNE for the first time about a year and a half ago. It was outstanding. Lots of great political and religious intrigue as well as the tension of battles. Good stuff.

A decade before now I had seen the David Lynch film and had enjoyed it, but the book was much better.

I had never seen the Sci-Fi channel's versions. (And I say Sci-Fi for that is what it was back then before the name change this year) But I do think Sci-Fi missed out on an opportunity. They skipped DUNE Messiah. If they hadn't done that, they could have turned all of the original Frank Herbert novels into mini-series and had a complete series. Instead, they skipped one and missed out. Too bad.

I'll comment on the next film when it's actually made and I've seen it. Maybe it will create a spark to get all of the DUNE novels turned into movies and or mini-series.

There's talk in these comments about not needing another DUNE version, anyone who says this is an idiot.. There needs to be a perfect Dune film before the versions stop!! Lynch can suck my ass. His Dune film was terrible and he sucks as a director, he's even worse than Oliver Stone and I didn't think that was possible... okay Lynch might be a little better than Stone but that's still an insult to Lynch. The Sci-fi ones were better but far from perfect.I LOVE Berg's idea's so far.. Make this one the "Official" version of DUNE... F***in' Finally!!!

I to would love to see the Butlerian Jihad trilogy that would rock. Of course the Butlerian Jihad trilogy was very gory.

Lynch's version screwed up the story with Lynch's usual weirdness-for-weirdness'-sake craziness, but I have to give him credit for absolutely nailing the atmosphere of the first two-thirds of the book. Apart from the Harkonnens, the sets and costumes and art design all felt absolutely right. It was clear they ran out of money when it came to the visual effects, but there's a lot more to like about that movie than most people give it credit for.

The Sci-Fi miniseries kept a bit more on track storywise, but man was it ever a mess of a production. The casting was all wrong, with pretty much all the non-principal roles going to local eastern European actors with incredibly thick accents. The costume designer had what can only be described as a bizarre hat fetish, and whoever thought they could make a sprawling desert epic with absolutely no location shooting needed to be fired. It was just terrible.

huh? I keep hearing the mention of a David Lynch Director's Cut that is amazing?

What directors cut?

Never heard of it.... you mean that cobbled-together, extended version, made for television that David disowned? I like the extrea scenes...but the editing is awful, and they screwed up the soundtrack of some really cool scenes from the original cut.

If there is an actual Director's Cut that i am aware of, can somone give me a URL (link) to it? I don't see it available on Amazon. I only see the Sci-Fi Channel version.

What an utter waste of time when there are so many other deserving SciFi works out there to base a movie on. Why not go with something more original or at lest lesser known? We've already been there and dune that!

Paul B. - Lynch's films show "show a consistent hatred for humanity?" I don't think so.

Watch "The Straight Story" and see if you still have the same feeling.

And regarding DUNE, it'll eat Peter Berg up. I like him as a person, but he's AT BEST a C-level director.

Dune will eat him up.

You'd think by now someone would have figured out that Heretics and Chapterhouse are the only books of the original story that can be adapted to film. They damn-near read like a movie! I always thought they may have been intentional. But what do I know...

I am all for a new movie, but not when the director states he wants to make it "muscular and adventurous" that seems to state to me stupid summer blockbuster without the integral cerebralness of this series. While the action is a draw, you CANNOT do a proper version of this series without focusing on the political intrigue and study of religion.

The miniseries was honestly probably as good as any adaptation of Dune is going to get. Though I'm a huge fan of Dune (and I actually don't mind most of the prequels either, though the two part Dune 7 conclusion was pretty bad), Dune has limited appeal to massive audiences on the big screen, it's really better read. Good luck though.

There is a reason people don't want to watch reruns over and over. What would be better is if he made the next chapter of the story, following the SciFi miniseries. But then, what do we all know? We're just the audience.

“I think I can see a way out of our dilemma”

DUNE is a far too complex a story to be fully told within the time frame of a normal cinema feature length presentation. The Lynch movie tried to simplify, and to impose a wonderfully baroque design, but, despite a good cast, fell down due to lack of story logic and inconsistencies. It tried to get the art values to carry the work. At times it did. There were tremendous desert and battle scenes, but the philosophy was thrown on the scrap heap. The comically “punk” Harkonnens went right out the wrong side of believability.

The SciFi mini-series tried to be true to the book, but ended up being too verbose. The production budget and perverse production design killed it dead in the water. The cast varied from the good to the downright incompetent, and bore little relation to the detailed descriptions in the original text. The actors were for the most part leaden, and lines read in a detached manner. The same script could have been used and with tighter production the running time could have been four hours or less.

The best way to make a production of DUNE work is to throw out exposition and explanation. Go straight in: look at LOTR: there is no explanation as to who all the inhabitants of Middle earth are. Look at the original STAR WARS: there is no attempt to justify and describe the arguments between the Empire and the Rebels, no attempt to explain who the Sith are. So it should be with DUNE:

Pitch straight in: the style nowadays is for extended action before the credits. Put the encounter of Paul with the Reverend Mother before the credits: speed it all up. Shock the mind. Make people wonder what is going on, but don’t EXPLAIN. Don’t have lengthy explanations about the Fremen or the Sandworms come in at all. Let the Sandworms come in suddenly in the Duke / Paul / Liet / visit to the spice sands.

DUNE also need as big cast, but even minor roles need to be cast in depth. Roles like Leto must be taken seriously, and William Hurt did not cover himself in glory in the mini-series. Neither version has Jessica drawn correctly: she is not a wet hen on the fringe of the drama: she is vital, tough and dangerous, and in the book she faces down a terrified Hawat.

It must be shot on location: a sound-stage in Prague is not a viable alternative. I would vote for Jordan, but it is all a matter of taste and budget. Here is desert, rocks, and economic extras ….

Lastly, it must have the best musical score money can buy.

Good luck and bon voyage ! Bilal Kaifa !

Take three parts of the SciFi version, two parts of the Lynch version and add spice to taste, you should get one really spectacular movie.

At least a good curry

I liked Lynch's Dune, the extended version, and parts of the mini-series. None of them though portrayed what was important in all the books -- characters. I agree with some that Lady Jessica should've been a tough Bene Gesserit, in fact the Bene Gesserit should be portrayed as they are, really hard core. Secondly, none of the versions ever started Paul as a young pre-teen. Third I really really hated the WEIRDING MODULE crap! Whoever came up with that idea should be thrown into the maw of a sandworm. That just made the Fremen seem like rabble who found a new secret weapon that made them stronger. In Dune series the Fremen turned out to be the best fighters in the universe. A sietch of old men, woman, and children were able to fight a battalion of Saurdakar sent to wipe them out. This is the part I like about the mini-series. It portrayed the Fremen as tough fighters not desert rabble.
As for a new Dune movie? WHY?? WHY?? Enough is enough. Do we need another movie to make Herbert turn over on his grave again? That would just turn him back facing the wrong direction again, people. I agree continue the Dune series with God Emperor, then Heretics, then Chapterhouse. The Butlerian Jihad series were more Star Wars'y to me but fine at least do something else. God Emperor would be my vote.

Liet, you have the right idea. Introducing plot elements suddenly instead of trying to explain them can work, but it requires repetition. I'm rewatching the Lynch now, and I notice there is a fair amount of repetition. There is also no fear of having acting performances that are stylized, and not naturalistic. This gives the film an Old Hollywood classic feel that I think no one has the balls to try anymore.

As far as sets are concerned, I think Mexico was an excellent solution for Lynch, both in terms of the desert vistas and the financial advantages. Although one can notice a lot of Mexicans in the production when you think of it.

Seek out a fan edit (3rd Stage)...Google's your friend. It is not completely perfect, but a lot of good and loving work went into it, and it's as good as we're going to get unless David Lynch has a change of heart.

Arnold, it took me years to come around, but the weirding modules are actually a very good piece of screenwriting. They represent physically on the screen, in a way the audience can more easily understand, the fact that the Atreides military is almost the equal of the Sardukar, thus the Emperor's fear of Leto. When they're burning, you see that the Emperor has succeeded (temporarily) in destroying the threat. When Paul and Jessica train the Fremen to use them, it is like in the book when they provide a catalyst for the Fremen. Although natural and tough fighters that are better than the Sardukar hand to hand, the training they receive from Paul (what's called even in the book the "weirding way") puts them over the top. The modules are an important way to combine all those concepts and make them understandable to the viewer. Then you add on the fact that Lynch manages to get the messianic politics involved when "Muad'Dib" becomes "a killing word". What may have first seemed to fans of the novel as a dumb moment is actually a master stroke of condensing the book.

I want to see the Ornithopter depicted correctly!

The story of Dune is about the pitfalls of being a Messiah. Paul is doomed and he knows this, even at the age of 15 when the story begins. Frank Herbert even had fights with his publisher regarding Paul NOT being a hero. If Berg can make a movie, say, like Spielberg's Minority Report, where the action and special effects are amazing, but are there only to support the story, then I think Berg might have a chance at doing Dune justice.
One unfortunate aspect of this movie being made is the fact that Frank Herbert's evil son, Brian AND the doubly evil K. J. Anderson are involved with the production. (Check out www.imdb.com to verify) And if they have any say in the outcome of Berg's Dune, ... well, it might already be doomed from the start.
Those two have raped and ruined any magic the original six books have and if you haven't read them? DON'T!!!
Perhaps many of the posters here are right. A Peter Jackson approach might be best for Dune. And I also agree that Frank's other Dune books should be made into movies. God Emperor, Heretics, and Chapterhouse would be amazing films. It is astonishing to me that a man was able to write such incredible female characters. Frank Herbert was a truly wonderful man. It's a shame his son, Brian and the doubly evil K.J. Anderson can only create stories of such violence and rape that it does nothing but lessen the Dune universe. They should be ashamed of themselves for butchering the work of such a great man.
Anyway, good luck Mr. Berg. Your going to need it.
PS Here's a suggestion, you should try to recast Sian Phillips as the old Reverend Mother, Gaius Helen Mohiam! She was fantastic in the Lynch version and, I bet, would be even more amazing in the Berg version. That would be fun!

Yes, there is NO director's cut. If you watch the opening credits you'll see the film was directed by Alan Smithee. Read about him @ Wikipedia. Besides "Alan" taking over the film, Lynch didn't have final cut over the original theatrical release, so he never did get to make the film he wanted to (check The Making of Dune book for that story, I believe).

“The thing must take its course”

Putting my Mentat’s hat on for a moment …. If I were writing the script for this new attempt (I’m not but I am always open to good offers). I would have to think about what to leave out and what to put in. Some minor characters have to go: The Fenrings, Harah and the children. Heresy of heresies, but what does Duncan add to the plot unless you are planning sequels ? You have to keep in Irulan, but her inflated role in the SciFi version cannot be justified. Even for a long film you have maybe a maximum of 150 pages of script to get the whole thing over in: that compares with the 600 pages of the original: and a standard page of script is in bigger typeface. Detailed explanations over the politics, religion, the multiple uses of spice, the biology of the sandworms, the care and maintenance of stillsuits all have to be done on the run…

Certain key plot events, like the trial-by-box, the duel, etc etc all have to be kept reasonably expanded, and battle scenes even more so, so you still have to run maybe five pages of novel per page of script. Something has to give. I compute therefore I am. I shall go and have a sniff of spice and have a lie down …

brian - if you're reading this... you've done excellent work putting together the butlerian jihad. begin at the beginning. this is the transformers generation. go commercial with agamemnon, vorian atreides, erasmus, omnius. now that's a storyline!

I've always been a Dune fan, and without question it is still one of the best SciFi stories ever created. In my opinion it is right up there with Brave New World, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner), and 2001.

I'll always be for Hollywood investing resources in creating a new version of Dune, which at its heart is an amazing story. I don't think you can complain about this project when you consider the amount of resources Hollywood dumps on bad SciFi with juiced up SPFX.

I think David Lynch did a lot of noble things with Dune, however he is certainly to blame for some awful fiasco's that took away from the timeless story of Dune - i.e. the Sting underwear, that weird ass cat with the poison antidote, the stupid weirding module, etc..

If Peter Berg concentrates on telling the story of Dune, with all of its deep complexities and themes, there is hope that it might be a success. Remember, many Fantasy fans never thought an adequate movie depiction of Lord of The Rings was possible, however it was done very well.

So Peter Berg, if you stumble on to this Blog, please don't turn the Dune into a "not much plot to get in the way of the action movie" pumped up on SPFX steroids.

“Prima la Musica”

Further to the question of condensation. In another life I produce operas: yes, the old-fashioned music and words operas. Here is a fine example of how condensation can work. The libretto (script) for an opera can be quite short. Operas based on the Shakespeare plays (there are a lot) are quite ruthless about simplifying the plot, chopping minor characters etc, but create the flavour, the mood (not “just a thing for cattle”), the pace, the excitement through music. It is no coincidence that the best movies frequently have the best music: the original STAR WARS (IV) for example where the score was simply stunning and extremely descriptive. This is what is needed for DUNE. It needs the best score money can buy, which will be able to conjure up mysticism (BG), militarism, desert flavour, battle etc in parallel with the script ….

Oooh you can tell I've nothing much to do this weekend

I never understood why people thought LotR would be impossible as a movie. It's simply all about SFX and bells and whistles.

Dune is another beast. As mentioned above the action takes place "inside" the characters.

The closest thing to that IMHO was the new Battlestar Galactica. The series did a great job on characters.

But Dune as a movie (!) seems impossible to me. Dune needs to be a very high quality series to work. The SciFi-Version was below average.

Brian should be ashamed of what he's done to his heritage - it's a catastrophe.
And that's the reason why I have long ago (sadly) accepted that there will be no chance for a good Dune screen adaption for some decades...

I agree WHOLEHEARTEDLY with Liet! Music is MASSIVELY important to this story and you are right, ... the music can say volumes without "saying" anything! ... Having said that, and invoking Lynch again ... lol ... it might be incredible if Lynch's music man, Angelo Badalamenti, would write all the music for the new Dune movie. A lot can be said (both pro & con) about Lynch's movies, but hardly anyone denies the fact that Lynch is a master at mood. And much of the credit for that goes to Angelo!
Lynch really is an acquired taste, but his version of Dune was taken out of his hands right before they started working on the "not-so-special" effects. As a matter of face, the company that did the effects for Star Wars were supposed to do the effects for Dune.... and, because the movie was massively over budget & over schedule, the production company said "NO WAY". Hence you have the crappy sandworms etc. etc. ... They even took the editing away from Lynch. It almost ruined his career!
And, finally, I have to put in one more jab at the evil Brian Herbert and the doubly evil K.J. Anderson .... Not only should everyone stay away from the garbage they've written, expanding on the Dune universe, but they really should do every Dune fan a favor and stay out of the production of the Berg version/vision of Dune.
It makes me sick to my stomach just thinking they might have a "word" to say about the making of this movie. YUCK!!!

... anyway the concept of the great struggle between man and the machines is explored quite adequately in the Terminator franchise ...

lynches dune was awesome. sci-fi's dune sucked. sci-fi's Children of Dune was brilliant!. thats one of my most favorite sci-fi movies ever. i loved the cast i especially LOVED the music. come on guys.. you gotta give it up for COD!.

Scripts and Stuff

If one does a bit of googling out there you can find the Lynch Dune (Dune L) script (Rev 6 and Rev 7) out in cyberspace. What is interesting is that (in my opinion) the script is better than the finally cut movie: it incorporates much more of the philosophy, mystique and the relationship between Emperor, BG, Guild etc, and makes quite a lot of sense. The SciFi Dune (Dune SF) tried to write down the script too literally from the book, and it all ended up a bit sluggish. Dune L script seemed to have most of it covered in about 135 pages which is pretty long considering some pages are simply multiple stage directions action without dialogue.

Why is it taking so long to get the Berg Dune (Dune B) script sorted? Sure there was the script-writers strike but it doesn’t take that long to rattle up a script. I have had a toy with this myself, and the problem seems to be one of angle: you can write a script like Dune L which is heavy on the mystery and atmosphere, you can write from the book like Dune SF, you can write as a standard SF type action space opera…. You pays your money. I suspect this is all still a matter of back-room argument !

So no one is in favor of pulling Toto out of retirement to right a Dune B soundtrack...lol

I have to admit, that the original Dune soundtrack is a guilty pleasure. Classic juiced up rock chords mixed with quasi-mysterious synthesizers....

YEAH!

A "more muscular and adventurous" Dune! HECK YEAH!!!

(What does that even MEAN?!)

I personally am hoping this gets made and is a MASSIVE FAIL. :D

Nothing against Peter Berg (I liked The Kingdom, but Hancock sucked), but success for anything with BoBoHobo and Kevin J. Hackerson's names associated with it is simply unacceptable!

THE BIG OPENING

Space …… stars ……

We see three red-hot gigantic shuttle craft coming towards us, and then the surface of a red desert planet comes up from below. The huge shuttles land on the desert amid clouds of dust, the bow doors open and the invasion troops pour out onto the desert sands.

Towards the camera from the central craft stride DUKE LETO, GURNEY, IDAHO, with troops and standard bearers with the back and green Atreides banners:

LETO: In the name of the Emperor Shaddam IV I, Duke Leto Atreides, take in Fief this planet. From now on let all men know that House Atreides commands this planet Arrakis … Dune.

The troops cheer enthusiastically ….

ROLL CREDITS

First, sorry for my poor english ;) I am only french.

I think people can talk a lot about many details. Linch
did a good work. The mini Series was great with other
details that were missing in Linch version.
But it was in 1984 .... we are in 2009.

Remember one thing, the Tolkien world was really hard
to bring on screen and even if I found some mistakes
it is a great job. I think that it could be the same
with Herbert's world.

The question is, should it be 1 movie or much more ....
I hope it would be more thant 1 movie so we would have
much more details in them and it would be wow and other
great trilogy ? I wish more than that :)

So what about the Dune world ? A great old world. Our past
brought in the future, in space. We can find emperor, ducs,
baro, all the existing religions mixed, ecology, great
battles and some little details that would be really great
if we already had them.

Even if somes find the new books by Brian an Kevin not as
great as the ones of Francks, it is always a pleasure for
me to get inside this world and read again about thoses
great characters. Until the end i will always thought about
them Duncan, Gurney, Leto, Paul, Jessica and so much more.
They are all importants in the story, each one bring it up
higher.

For my opinion I already found the music ;) This come
from the past when i was younger and reading Dune books
in the train while going to school. Dream Theater ...

But ... I think they won't ask me, the little frenchie when
the music choice will be on.

So for me, all the ideas are great, i just wish that Berg
will read and take care about all those ideas :) so the job
would bea great.

Hey I wish it would score more thant Star Wars or
Lord of the Ring.

See you alls, I will get back to rad some more news.

PS) Mr Berg, if you are looking for some people to make
the fremen army I would love to participate, just some spice
a few water and I would be really pleased to be in this film.

Welcome. Don't worry, your English is better than my French.

Thanks Liet :)
I wish we will have soon some news and some good ones

TESTING

The DUNE series as a MANGA series, then an ANIME series would be GREAT!! Enough Said.

For Christ's sake, PLEASE let Duncan Idaho have the death written for him!!! So far, both versions of his demise have been COMPLETELY unrelated to his fantastically heroic first-death in the novels....

The Duncan Problem …

Is that he is a very secondary figure in the first novel. Agreed in Dune SF his death was just collateral damage from an incoming missile, but he did die a reasonably heroic (if rather rapid) death in Dune L.

Interesting point about shields. In Dune L they get exactly the sense of a clash of energies and a smell of ozone …. It’s very good cinema to invoke a smell !

Why don't they take the entire Dune canon and make it a tv series. You have a main character in Duncan. it could be just as enthralling as LOST.

I'm sorry guys. The original Dune novel was seminal and can stand alone. The sequels do not engage in quite the same way, and as for the prequels the least said the better. No, stick to the basic Dune novel and don't try to think beyond it.

I saw the Lynch Dune when it came out in 84 and I was in college, 25 years later I prefer it to the TV versions, though having read the book and begun to wade through some of the other books, I feel it is time for a better interpretation of Dune on the big screen, THEN.... let's see EVERYTHING else in film, and truer to Frank Herbert's written works. I also agree with the thought that the books have more meat or muscle than the film or TV versions. It's all there in the books for someone with the proper vision.

A Television version of the DUNE series wouldn't last. Audiences are too Immature to look pass the fact of this being SCI-FI. KINGS on NBC got canceled because people couldn't look pass the fact it dealt with religion.

That's Why I'm pushing for this to be made into a MANGA series, then hopefully an ANIME series!! You get a graphic novel, and a televised version!! And the characters and settings can be drawn up as they were described in the books!!

The Mentat Reports:

Having looked at most of the chat on this (and other sites), I compute: Some people love the Lynch Dune (Dune L), some the SciFi Dune (Dune SF). Many of the people who loved Dune L had not necessarily read the book …. Everybody agrees that Dune the book has so much in it that it is difficult to accommodate in a normal feature-length movie. People reference LOTR as an example of what can be done.

OK, if this project is going to get the green light it will be because the studio reckon they can create something that will be better than Dune L, shorter than Dune SF and will make money. Under present circumstances they will be worrying about budget. They will therefore want the script and the production to be such as to maximise potential box-office. This is where the alarm bells really start to ring. They have to pitch this for the general big audience, not just the Dune aficionados. This means that the story will have to be understandable by your average cinema going Joe who hasn’t read the book. This is why it WILL have to be simplified, and big action cranked in. I’m not saying that they will have the big car chase in there but the philosophy and religion will be pruned radically.

A few posts up, you’ll see my opening sequence. I’m not altogether joking. This is the way it will go or my names not Thufir Hawat (oh sorry I was Liet on this thread)

Read book, saw both film and TV version. TV version looked cheesy and was too long. Too many romantic interludes that just filled time. Lynch may have deviated, but his cast carried the day much better than those on TV. A Peter Jackson could make this but as someone else had noted, like Lord of the Rings , it couldn't be done with one film. Casting is the key. Special Effects and computer graphics are so much better now than in 1984 that we would be looking at a completely different rendition. Perhaps even a 3D go.

We sit here at our keyboards and discuss these things. I wonder whether Producers ever take any notice of our ramblings ? It would be nice top think that some of our concerns do get to the top of the pyramid but I have my doubts …….

Dune is the biggest selling science fiction novel of all time. The audience is already built in. Any company producing this film will have to understand that Dune fans are OVERLY passionate about these 6 stories (I refuse to say the Evil B. Herbert and the doubly Evil K.J. Anderson is canon) and WILL NOT support a dumbed down, muscled up, commercial piece of Summertime-Blockbuster-Craptacular-Adventure-for the Whole Family!
I honestly do understand that movies are a business, but Dune fans are legion and too intelligent to support an "idiot" version of this story. If the fan-base are unsatisfied, the movie won't make it's money back until the year 10,191! ..... Even if it brings in a "newer" more "muscular" audience, if the core fans learn that the movie does not live up to Frank Herbert standards, it won't make a dime.
Sure, the die-hard Dune fans will see it, but not until the DVDs have been marked down to $2.99 in the bin at Best Buy with Bewitched, Tron, Waterworld and Richard Simmons' Sweating to the Oldies!

Yes, Your Reverence, but the Big Studios are in this business for money. Under present economic circumstances they will want a movie which has the potential of grossing millions of Solaris or they won’t bother. There is a terrible tendency to play safe at the moment. Look at the number of remakes and vaguely similar plotlines that are planned at the moment. It’s rather depressing. No matter you slice it, a remake of Dune is going to need a hefty budget: it will need a big and competent cast (this is where Dune L scored over Dune SF), a very good tight script, inspiring design and wardrobe, winning locations, a killer music score, and brilliant CGI. This lot cannot be found for a bag of washers. We Dune aficionados can sit and moan all we like, but I doubt whether Berg or anybody else will take much notice. If anybody has any good ideas how to make the Studio listen to our views …. short of sandworm invasion, or the wasting of the family atomics ….

If the trailer for this thing looks good, I MAY pay to see it in theaters, but to be honest I'm over the whole "Dune on film" thing. I just don't think anyone will ever get it all accurately represented, and I think that's okay. Frank Herbert was a novelist....he wrote a novel. First and foremost it should be enjoyed as a novel. If someone can find a good way to get it represented in another medium, more power to you. I just stopped years ago holding my breath for a good Dune on film. Anytime I feel like stepping back into that world, I pick the book back up. I've been through it 4 times now and it never gets old and that's more than anyone can ask for.

@Yep:

You said: "There's talk in these comments about not needing another DUNE version, anyone who says this is an idiot."

I think you are missing the point here. People don't necessarily think there doesn't need to be another version because the existing ones have already gotten it right. Some may think that, but personally that isn't why I don't think there needs to be another attempt. Personally, I don't think there should be another version because I think the only way the story could be dragged into the mainstream successfully by a film would be kicking and screaming in some kind of 2-hour CGI/action-fest, which wouldn't really capture any of the spirit of the story.

I guess you could say I'm tired of seeing people missing the mark. Call me a snob, but I just don't see the point of constantly trying to make this thing into a blockbuster or any other film medium for that matter.

I'm actually surprised Brian hasn't INSISTED this thing get made into a movie with his name slapped onto it somehow.

I just remembered, Peter Berg was the co-star in Aspen Extreme...that does not bode well...

Maybe we shouldn't be too pessimistic. We hve had huge advances in CGI and other film technology since Dune L, and we must be talking about a reasonable budget compared with Dune SF. Despite the peculiarities of Dune L there was some attempt to introduce some sort of dramatic logic into it all (for example there were reasons for the Shaddam's duplicity which are not really evident even in the book). The thing must take its course .....

why you haters complaining?.... Another Dune movie, SciFi did a great job with the buget at hand, Berg has done good things with directing so lets give the brother a chaznce

dune is something that has to be read.the depth and intricacy just cannot be portrayed in a feature film.a series maybe but that won't happen.it's really on par with trying to film something like 'the silmarillion'.it's just too big.

i just realized why it can't be done specifically.it's the pace of the novel itself,the fact that there are so many characters and that each character's story is a very important part of the entirety.chapter by chapter doesn't stick to just paul,it jumps to the harkonnens,then yueh,then kienes,duncan...and all the books are like that.the reason lotr works as an ensemble is because it's frodo's story...and then later branches out into sub stories after the foundation is set.dune doesn't do that and to try to take that out of the work for the sake of flow in a movie destroys a key part of the telling of it.that's why a lot of people didn't like lynch's version...he couldn't pull all the stories together cohesively...and of course his lynchian weirdness(which i like in the film actually).

but yes...if you disrupt the pace of how the story is told then the story itself loses dimensions.it cannot be adapted to a screen play format in anything less than a 300 page script at least,average script being what 117?so by the numbers...it's already screwed.

oh and...peter berg?guy who directed 'the rundown'?i mean...seriously?

cl0ak, you have made a good summary of the problem. There is no easy answer and just trying to turn it into a simple Hollywood blockbuster will annoy a lot of people.

Me included

The world needs a truly great movie of Dune.

Peter Jackson did the impossible and brought LoTR to life (admittedly it took 3 movies to do it properly), I long for the same loving work to be done for Dune.

The two previous Dune attempts were at best sub-par (I mean really, the BG in wide brimmed hats, gasping and pouting in the Syfy channel films - pulease! or , the "weirding way' of fighting Paul and Jessica turned into into Fremen holding pistol grips and saying a made up phrase like a bunch of Hare Krishnas?)

It is the sort of project that could truly make a director's career (as it has for Peter Jackson) if they can pull it off.

And I agree with the vast majority of commenters - the prequels were appalling. Frank Herbert was a great writer who had an immense, grand, sprawling vision. His legacy deserved more than the padded, cliche ridden, trash novels that resulted from BH and KA's collaboration.

Please Mr Berg - learn from the stunning success that LoTR has become. If you do this - do it with passion, respect for the genius of the author and do it faithfully to the grand epic the Frank Herbert created. It's not Transformers - this is Dune - one of the great works of fiction of the 20th Century. (Fear is the mind killer)

I see from the MTV blog that the draft script is running at about 200 pages. Even at a helluva pace that's a three-hour plus movie. Or are they going to split it ? Compute, compute ......

OMGZ! PETER DOTN MAKE ANOTHER DUNES MOOBIE LIEK DAVIT LINCH OK??? WUT U SHOUD DO IS MAKED US ONE OR MABE ALL OF TEH NU DUNE NOBELS BY KEN J ANERSON THE ARE TEH VARY BETER ONES THAN FRAN HORBORTS DUN NOBELS! THAY MOAR ACTOIN&AVENTURE THAN FRAN HORBORTS. IMO BETER THEN STARWARZ!!! N KJA ISN BOARING LEIK FRANHORBOTR IS!!! HE HAST ROBOTZ N FRAN HORBORT NEVER HASD ROBOTZ!!! SKRU TAHT IFN HE NOES HAST ROBOTZ N LAZER FITEZ N CYPORGZ!!! OK MAN??? NO MOAR BOAR DUNEZ OK??? MAKED US TEH NU DUNEZ WITH KEN J ANERSON!!! DUDE K??? K??? RESPONT PLZ???

DUDE K I JUTS THOT OF SUMTHIG TO ADDED TO TEH DESCUSSHEN OK?? WUT IF INSTED OF WURMZ ON DUNE PLENET U HAD LIEK SAND PARRANAS TAHT CAN EATED SADURKRARZ??? AN DOTN PUT PAUL ATREDS IN TEH MOOBIE CUZ HE WUSS TOO GAY FOR ACTON&AVVETURE K??? DUDE TAT BE WAAAAY MOAR ACTON&AVETURE!!!! ASOL ISTED OFF HAVENG BEN GESERTTS U COUD HAEV JEDIES LEIK STARWARZ CUZ TAHT WUS WAAAAY MOAR ACTON+AVETURE TAHN BORENG ASS DUNEZ K??? DUDE OK PARRANAS & ROBOTZ WIT LAZERT GUNZ & CYPORGZ & JEDEI GESSERTS & NOPAUL & U COUD ADDED SUM HAWT CHIX IN BIKINES TO FOR ACTON&AVETURE+SEXXXXXXXXXIIIEEEEEE YEA BOIIIIIIIII!!!!! CUZ WE WOINT PAYED TOO SEEIN A MOOBIE WIT GAYAZZ PAUL ATREDS BUT I WAT TO SEE MOBIE WIT ROBOTZ & CHIX & ACTON+AVVETURE K???

DUDE BERG??? R U EVR GONA RESPONT TOO ME??? I M WAIT 4 UR RESPONTS RITE NAO!!! DUDE IMA B LATE 4 CLAZZ. I M GOEN TOO FLILM SKOOL SOO I CAN B GRATE DIREKTOR LEIK U BERG!!! U R SOOO BADASSSS ACTON&AVVETURE DEREKTOR DUDE!!! N U WUR AWESOM IN AZPEN XTREM MOOBE U MAKE TO!!! HAY THEIRS IDEAA!!! ISTED OF SANDUNE PLENET U COUD MADE SNODUNE PLENET WIT SNOWURMZ!!! DUDE WAYYY MOAR ACTON&AVVETURE SNOWE THEN SANDPLENET!!!! U COUD CALL MOOBE DUNE:ASPEN XTREME II STARING PET BERG AS TEH SNOGUY FROM APEN XTREM I

ISTED OF GEY PAUL ATREDS PUT BADASSSSS VEN DESIEL N DOTN CALL IM PAUL ATTREDS BUT CALL IM DART VEN: TYEH SYTH QWEETZ HADERCH!!! DUUUUUDE THETS BADAAAAASSSSS ACTON&AVVETURE AMIRITE!!!!

DUDE BERG??? GIMME UR EMALE ADDERS K??? I GOTE WAAAAAAYYYYYY MOAR IDAES 4 DUNES MOOBIE & WE TIHNK ALAIKE. DUDE I COUD BEE 2ND UNET DIREKTOR!!!!! EMALE ME UR CELL OKEY BERG????

Somebody's been at the Spice again .....

First... it is a bit of a shock to me that people would even bother with the prequel Dune books. Duhhh! Second... as is the norm, the Sci-Fi nerds of the world think they have it all figured out. The essence. The humanity. etc etc. This isn't Les Miserables... its top of the heap Science fiction open so wide to personal interpretation. If Berg gets the funds to make another Dune. Than what of it ? Someone with a heck of alot of money must think its a swell idea. And why is it that its so easy to pose as some kinda expert on Dune or what ever... as if no one but you and Frank Herbert really understands what Dune is really about ? And the 'human think tank' who put down David Lynch. The film "The Elephant Man" was a needle into the heart of humanity. Sorry the world isn't all lollypops and unicorns like you want.Maybe the carebear movies would be more your speed!!??

A lot of this discussion has come about because so far Dune has defied a reasonable screen interpretation. Both Dune L and Dune SF had their plus and minus points. It is after all, just very good SF, but it is a difficult one to do well. I understand that the development script is running at about 200 pages, which puts it somewhere between Dune L and Dune SF. We would need some more pages to get the Carebears in, but they would probably be better than that **** mouse in Dune SF.

@bauhausman

wow you must be the only being capable of understanding film and human behavior... this is called sarcasm. learn to follow your own advice, mary.

look at it this way, if they make a great Dune then they'll make the rest of the books.

I agree the prequels suck but the finalization of the series they did from Franks notes ended up being great reads.

I'd love to see this go the length that harry potter movies have.

at least these have the ability to cover the majority of what's written since they don't have 800 pages.