Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' is finally getting its dues on the big screen

"I know you," murmurs Paul, the younger protagonist of Denis Villeneuve's "Dune." He's referring to a phenomenal lady who has wandered in his unconscious, all windswept hair and piercing gaze, midway between dream and fragrance advert. Now she stands earlier than him, flesh and blood; a imaginative and prescient no more. Yet she's flintier than anticipated, brusquer than the fantasy. Expectation, meet actuality.

Listening to Villeneuve converse, you hear a director conscious about expectations -- of the followers of Frank Herbert's authentic e book, of the movie studio, even his personal. It's each ironic and solely becoming that to satisfy them, Villeneuve needed to dive into his personal unconscious. Speaking to CNN, he described the meditation and work in goals he utilized to "go back to the source."

"The idea," he mentioned, "was to try to bring back to the surface those images that I had in my mind when I (first) read the book -- those uncorrupted images that I had at 13 years old."

A scene from Denis Villeneuve's "Dune." Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment

The French Canadian has been desirous about "Dune" ever since his teenage years, and for many years he is carried photos and concepts inside. "I said to my crew at the beginning I would love it if we were able to try to create images that are not inspired by other influences," he mentioned. "It's a very romantic approach," the director conceded. "Technically impossible."

You see, popular culture has a knack for getting in the method of itself. Sci-fi cinema has each pillaged Herbert's novel and cluttered the street again to it; stuffed audiences with photos and concepts cribbed from "Dune" earlier than most individuals have been offered with the supply materials. "The most famous of them is definitely 'Star Wars,'" the director mentioned. Villeneuve is a "massive fan" of the early movies, nonetheless, "having to go through the absurdity of having to deal with the (Star Wars) movies that have been deeply inspired by 'Dune' ... to differentiate ourselves from that huge cultural influence, was a very interesting challenge."

"We kept the words of Frank Herbert close to us," he added. "That was our way to bring something fresh to the screen that would not feel like old recycled ideas."

Timothée Chalamet and Charlotte Rampling as Paul Atreides and the Reverend Mother Mohiam, the chief of a spiritual sect, in "Dune." Credit: Chiabella James/Warner Bros. Entertainment

'This venture is, as the e book is, a tragedy'

"Dune" tells the story of Paul Atreides, a noble scion born with mystical powers he little understands. When his household is charged by the galactic emperor to take over a profitable mining operation on the desert planet of Arrakis, it sparks an interplanetary battle between ruling homes, with the planet's native inhabitants, the Fremen, caught in the crossfire however removed from unbowed. As the Atreides' place is threatened, Paul turns into more and more guided by his mom, a member of a cult of witches whose designs eclipse even the canniest political operator.

Science fiction's potential to carry up a mirror to society is unparalleled, and "Dune" accommodates a complete corridor of them. Between its covers there is a cautionary story on the mixing of politics and faith, an eco-parable, and critiques of colonialism, messianic figures and useful resource exploitation.

"The book suddenly became more relevant as time went by," mentioned Villeneuve. Was there ever one strand he was significantly fascinated with foregrounding? "We feel those ideas, they are in the background everywhere," he mentioned, "but we are focusing mainly on Paul Atreides' journey."

"This project is, as the book is, a tragedy," Villeneuve argued. "It's really the story of a young man that will have the burden of a terrible religious heritage." For his tragic figurehead Villeneuve selected Timothée Chalamet, the solely actor the director thought-about. "Timothée has the necessary maturity to bring this character to life, combined with beautiful youth that he brings," mentioned Villeneuve. "Timothée looks really young and at the same time has an old soul, and also has the charisma of a rock star -- that will be necessary later on in part two."

Villeneuve directs Chalamet on the set of "Dune." Credit: Chiabella James/Warner Bros. Entertainment

Yes, "Dune" is really "Dune: Part I." Splitting the novel was Villeneuve's concept, and studio Warner Bros. (CNN shares mother or father firm WarnerMedia) agreed on the situation it will see how the first movie fared earlier than taking pictures the second, he defined.

Looking up his resume, it was a daring transfer. The director was stung by "Blade Runner 2049," his 2017 follow-up to Ridley Scott's sci-fi authentic -- a vital hit however not a field workplace success. Similarly, "Dune" is one other feted sci-fi work with a historical past. "I will say that 'Dune' is by far my most accessible (film)," Villeneuve mentioned, noting he opted for a milder PG-13 score.

"But the commerciality of a movie, you cannot predict that," he argued. "It's an art form. You always try to make the best movie that you can, at the time where you are, and you cannot predict the outcome. And nobody can. If we were able to know how our movie will perform, we'd all be rich right now."

Part two is already written, Villeneuve added. And its probabilities? "I'm frankly very optimistic."

Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides and Timothé Chalamet as Paul Atreides in "Dune." The manufacturing shot desert sequences on location in Jordan and the UAE. Credit: Chiabella James/Warner Bros. Entertainment

'Of course there was stress to not do it'

The logistics of reassembling Villeneuve's starry forged (alongside Chalamet, Javier Bardem, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and more) may very well be appreciable, however that will not part a director who strolled into the deserts of Jordan and the UAE with a crew who gladly adopted.

"Of course there was pressure not to do it, because it's quite complex to bring a whole film crew into the middle of the desert and to create a safe environment for them ... But for me it was crucial. It was not a negotiation," Villeneuve mentioned. "I'm an old-fashioned director. I'm not inspired by virtual environments, I need reality."

Beyond the aesthetic advantages (his Arrakis actually does look spectacular), out in the desert the director discovered his tribe. "I wanted us -- the actors, the cinematographer and myself -- to be inspired by the elements," he defined. Away from civilization, out in the sands the forged might {shape} themselves. The via line of "Dune," if nothing else, is adapt or die. "Nature is the god of 'Dune,' biology is the religion, and I wanted us to be in relationship with nature, as was Frank Herbert when he wrote the book," he mentioned.

Anything, it appears, to get nearer to textual content, and aligned with the 13-year-old whose creativeness set these wheels in movement. "The book was our Bible," mentioned Villeneuve. On set, the director had his outdated copy, dogeared and careworn. Still, the latter chapters will see more motion earlier than their time is completed.

"If ever such a thing as part two sees the light of day, it will be a bigger movie, because of the nature of the story," he promised. "(It) will be a more intense cinematic journey, it's going to be a huge challenge -- and an exciting one."