Movies - TV
Every Bizarre Canceled Dune Movie We Never Got To See
By BJ COLANGELO
Before Denis Villeneuve, a highly regarded sci-fi director, took on the current adaptation of “Dune,” the film had undergone several canceled iterations that never materialized.
In 1971, under Arthur P. Jacobs, Apjac International gained the film rights for Frank Herbert's “Dune.” However, delays and Jacobs's passing led to the cancellation of his vision.
One rather bizarre attempt was led by Alejandro Jodorowsky, envisioning a 14-hour sci-fi epic with a star-studded cast, including Salvador Dalí, Orson Welles, and Mick Jagger.
However, Jodorowsky's ambitious project, chronicled in the 2014 documentary “Jodorowsky's Dune,” collapsed after three years of development and $2 million spent on pre-production.
In 1976, Dino De Laurentiis won the rights and hired Ridley Scott, fresh from the success of “Alien,” to direct “Dune.” Yet, the project was canceled due to creative differences.
In the late 2000s, there were discussions about a new "Dune" movie emerging, but the 2008 WGA strike and subsequent director changes hindered progress.
Paramount's try with director Peter Berg failed. The project languished until Legendary Entertainment got the rights in 2016, paving the way for Villeneuve's 2024 adaptation.