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We’re now just six months away from seeing Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune. The original novel penned by Frank Herbert is beloved to many people, and this new take is one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year. As we move closer to its debut, Kyle MacLachlan, who starred in the 1984 version of the sci-fi story, has shared his thoughts on the new Dune's release.
Nearly 40 years ago, Kyle MacLachlan starred as Paul Atriedes in David Lynch’s Dune. The first pass at the landmark science fiction novel was a box office disappointment and earned primarily negative critical reception. But Dune is still very close to MacLachlan’s heart, considering he is a huge fan of the books and associated with the story’s history on the big screen. He said this about Warner Bros’ decision to release Denis Villeneuve's Dune in theaters and HBO Max:
I think the simultaneous release is kind of the wave of the future. It’s disheartening though because a movie like that is meant to be seen on the large screen.
Kyle MacLachlan’s comment to The Seattle Times about Dune echoes Denis Villeneuve being vocal about his distaste with Warner Bros’ decision to make his big-budget film on its streaming service on the same day as it reaches theaters. The Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival filmmaker said this:
Dune is by far the best movie I’ve ever made. My team and I devoted more than three years of our lives to make it a unique big screen experience. Our movie’s image and sound were meticulously designed to be seen in theaters.
Denis Villenueve has also accused Warner Bros of denying his film the chance to perform financially and be viable for the second film he had planned for the series. The filmmaker says the studio “might just have killed the Dune franchise” with its decision. Warner Bros is releasing every one of its movies to the big screen and HBO Max in 2021, including Godzilla vs. Kong, which just had the biggest opening night since the pandemic.
The latest MonsterVerse movie could be a good sign, so maybe by the time October rolls around, people will be itching to see a movie like Dune in theaters over staying at home? Time will tell! Kyle MacLachlan definitely shares a feeling of discouragement for the movie industry many fans and insiders feel following a year predominantly without open theaters.
Dune will see Timothée Chalamet taking over Kyle MacLachlan’s role as Paul Atriedes alongside a massive cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Stellan Skarsgard. Dune will be released on October 1. You can sign up for HBO Max using this link and mark your calendars for its theatrical release.
