June 6, 2008


Paramount's big-budget version of Dune is rumbling into production, with Variety announcing the Studio has hired a writer to pen the adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic.

Josh Zetumer is the lucky scribe tasked with bringing Dune to the big screen once more – he doesn't have a raft of credits on his CV but is currently working on Villain for 21929 Productions and The Infiltrator at Warner Bros.

Apparently, he also did production work on Bond's latest outing, Quantum of Solace.

Paramount suit Kevin Misher, along with Herbert's son Brian and author Kevin J. Anderson -- who co-wrote several additional entries in the Dune series after Herbert's death -- are on production duties, whilst The Kingdom director Peter Berg will direct.

I've never read the actual book, but I thought Lynch's version was pretty cool. One of the strangest movies that I've ever seen, but still cool.

A more mainstream version could be half-decent, I guess. I'll have to read the book before I can pass judgment.

I heard an interview with Frank Herbert on the old Larry King radio show shortly after the Lynch version of Dune came out. He said the he and Lynch made an excellent, faithful adaptation of the book. It was 7 hours long. The studio cut it to hell.

I enjoyed the released version more than most critics and audience members did. There was a lot of excellnt material there.

However, like Urge, I won't mind seeing another version. Herbert really had a lot of input with Lynch though, so I don't see a new version having as much of Herbert's heart.

Love the book. Love Lynch's adaptation (would kill to have that whole 7 hrs of footage - full "director's cut" type version - not sure it exists). That said, I too would be willing to see another adaptation on screen...

you and me both

Love Herberts books atm.
Though I havent actually read Dune. Have watched the film and loved it. I now look forward to reading the book and watching the new film.

The Dune books are very dear to my heart.
I loved both versions and the TV sequel Children of Dune.

I'll give another director's vision a shot...why not:)

Most of you remember Dune as that great/sucky cheesefest that inexplicably came from David Lynch in the 1980s but luckily, if indirectly, led to Lynch and Kyle MacLachlan's teaming on the classic TV series Twin Peaks.

Oh, and there was also that Sci Fi Channel watchyacallit a few years back.

The implication here is that not nearly as many genre fans have read Frank Herbert's Dune novels as should be the case.

And with director Peter Berg now working up a new feature film version of the tale, there's even less reason to go back to the original source material, alas.

"I think I had a much more different experience, I think, with the book than David Lynch did," Berg recently told Sci Fi Wire. "To me, I think my interpretation will feel significantly different from that and the [Syfy] Channel miniseries that aired. I have a different experience than both of those filmmakers did."

Berg is looking at the story as more of an "epic adventure," apparently. And, some might say, surprisingly.

"[The book] was much more muscular and adventurous, more violent and possibly even a little bit more fun," Berg said. "I think those are all elements of my experience of the book that can be brought in without offending the die-hard fans of Bene Gesserit and Kwisatz Haderach. There's a more dynamic film to be made."

In case you were wondering who Bene Gesserit is, she's the Brazilian supermodel who Sting used to date.

I never read the books, and I thought the first go-round was a muddled mess. Any other interpretation is bound to be an improvement in my book.

Peter Berg's Dune adventure looks like it's being cut prematurely short as the director has left the new adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel.

According to Pajiba, Berg, who has been developing the project for a while, dropped out recently and the producers are now faced with looking for a replacement.

The top names at the moment? Apparently, it might be down to two men with similar names.

Paramount has sent the script to Neil Marshall and District 9's Neill Blomkamp, though neither has been in negotiations about the film yet.

Marshall is said to be the top choice for producer Kevin Misher, but Paramount's not quite as sold on him considering The Descent is his only real hit (what, no love for the superb Dog Soldiers?)

Blomkamp, meanwhile, is of course riding high on District 9's success, but with him having secured the funding for his follow-up sci-fi project elsewhere, choosing him might mean waiting a while.

Paramount has $175 million to throw around and a script by Bourne 4 writer Josh Zetumer to hand. What they really need is someone with a passion for the book.