"Dune" finds wormsign at Paramount

[Paxton]

Rookie scribe Josh Zetumer is in negotiations to write the latest incarnation of "Dune," Frank Herbert's sprawling sci-fi epic, for Paramount Pictures.

The award-winning 1965 novel -- the first in a series of six books about a futuristic struggle for control of a precious spice called Melange on the desert planet Arrakis -- was first adapted by David Lynch into a financially and critically disastrous 1984 film (though Herbert apparently liked it). It also was turned into a more successful Sci Fi Channel miniseries in 2000.

No one involved would comment on Zetumer's take on the "Dune" saga.

Herbert's son, Brian, and Kevin J. Anderson, who have co-written several additional "Dune" novels, will co-produce. Peter Berg ("Friday Night Lights", "Hancock") is attached to direct.

 

[josher]

Hollywood never seems to tire of turning this unfilmable story into a film.

Perhaps third time will be the charm, but I doubt it.

 

[Supernature]

This is interesting news. I remain a huge fan of Frank Herbert's work. It's a tricky thing to adapt to film though because the book is so multilayered and complex both politically and philosophically. Lynch's version got it right on art direction, but ended up rather hackneyed in terms of narrative and...ugh...soundtrack (remember those cheesy guitar riffs during the wormriding scenes?). The sci fi mini-series had better success translating the nuances of the story, but the production was rather bland. I'm not at all enthused about his son being involved because, under Brian's pen, many of his father's concepts were dramatically dumbed down when he took over writing the series after Frank's death. Still, nerdy misgivings aside, I'm excited to see what they come up with.

 

[Spellbound]

Hollywood never seems to tire of turning this unfilmable story into a film.

Perhaps third time will be the charm, but I doubt it.

Yeah thats what I was gonna say. Some books should just stay books.

 

[GL]

Hollywood never seems to tire of turning this unfilmable story into a film.

Perhaps third time will be the charm, but I doubt it.

agreed. it's a brilliant book (one of my all time faves) and i doubt if anyone will ever get it down.

 

[Paxton]

This is interesting news. I remain a huge fan of Frank Herbert's work. It's a tricky thing to adapt to film though because the book is so multilayered and complex both politically and philosophically.
Still, nerdy misgivings aside, I'm excited to see what they come up with.

When you hire a director like Peter Berg to handle a project you can kiss complexity goodbye. This guy is terrific at creating action scenes, but when it comes to sultities you can definitely count him out.

I see this new take on "Dune" very hard action oriented with a huge amount of CGI involved, but with an extremely simplified storyline designed to please big audiences.

If the boys at Paramount would have wanted to make a movie closer to the spirit of the original book names like David Fincher, Danny Boyle or Andrew Niccol would have been announced. Peter Berg, unfortunately, represents the total opposite.

 

[Supernature]

When you hire a director like Peter Berg to handle a project you can kiss complexity goodbye. This guy is terrific at creating action scenes, but when it comes to sultities you can definitely count him out.

I see this new take on "Dune" very hard action oriented with a huge amount of CGI involved, but with an extremely simplified storyline designed to please big audiences.

If the boys at Paramount would have wanted to make a movie closer to the spirit of the original book names like David Fincher, Danny Boyle or Andrew Niccol would have been announced. Peter Berg, unfortunately, represents the total opposite.

Uh oh...this doesn't bode well at all...

 

[Glafna]

I have a feeling that if this one does well, there will be another sequel series.

Anyway, I really hope they do a good job, otherwise there will only be what was done wrong to refer to, not what was done right.

 

[hotatlboi]

Actually it's the fourth time.

I actually thought Sci-Fi's second film was pretty good. Their first one had potential but it was too low budget and looked cheesy and very fake in parts.

 

[Just_Believe18]

What was wrong with the Sci-Fi Channel version? There's no need to remake it into a film again. I liked it (except for the sequel).

 

[lascaris]

What a shame ! Brian Herbert is a stupid & Kevin J. Anderson a thief !
Miniseries ? Some sitcom for square eyes ! take a life !