Watch: Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' Trailer Side By Side With Footage From David Lynch's Version
Earlier this week, the movie gods gave us a treat: the trailer for Denis Villeneuve's highly anticipated film adaptation of Dune, based on the classic science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert. The book has long been considered to be virtually unfilmable – but that hasn't stopped multiple directors from trying over the years. Alejandro Jodorowsky gave it a shot but couldn't get it over the finish line (as detailed in the 2014 documentary Jodorowsky's Dune), while David Lynch actually succeeded in bringing the story to the big screen in 1984. (The movie was a box office bomb, but at least he finished it!)
In the wake of the excellent new trailer, someone has created a video which places the new Dune trailer side by side with similar shots from Lynch's version of the story. Check out the comparison below.
Dune Trailer Side By Side Comparison
If you'd like a crystal clear example of how far technology has come over the past thirty five years, look no further than the juxtaposition between the training/sparring sessions between Paul Atreides and Gurney Halleck in these two movies. (Thanks to WelcomeToTwinPeaks for pointing out this comparison video.) The new movie gives the two of them virtual body shields that cling to their profiles, while Lynch's version – whether through aesthetic choice, technological limitations, or a combination of both – encased its actors in clunky looking glass blocks. Otherwise, I was slightly surprised to see just how many similar shots were featured in Lynch's version – not bad, considering the era.
Dune is a famously dense novel, and it's easy to see why it's been so tough for filmmakers to adapt. Even this new version won't be able to do it in just one film – Villeneuve plans to make at least one sequel to finish the adaptation. Here's the official synopsis for the upcoming movie:
A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Dune is currently scheduled to hit theaters on December 18, 2020 (although, with Wonder Woman 1984 sliding into the Christmas slot earlier today, don't be surprised if this gets bumped into 2021).