Top10 Reasons Why Dune WILL Be the Best Sci Fi Movie of the Decade

Script written by Michael Wynands

Top 10 Reasons Why Dune WILL Be the Best Sci-Fi Movie of the Decade

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Reasons Why Dune Will Be the Best Sci-Fi Movie of the Decade.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the many reasons to get excited about this highly anticipated adaptation, as well as the factors that make it seem poised to become a landmark release for sci-fi cinema.

What’s your favorite sci-fi epic? Tell us about it in the comments below.

#10: The Story Itself

For the uninitiated, we should probably begin with an introduction to Frank Herbert’s hugely influential 1965 novel. “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a young man and heir to his father’s title as Duke, whose family serves as the stewards of a planet called Arrakis. He may also be a messiah of some sort. In this interstellar feudal society, familial houses (like House Atreides) vie for power. And there’s nothing more powerful than spice or “melange”, a multi-purpose substance upon which this entire futuristic civilization runs. The only place to get it? Arrakis. “Dune” is a space epic with few equals in terms of complexity. While Paul’s journey is the heart of this story, the thematic ground it covers truly spans the cosmos.

#9: An Adaptation Long in the Making

This is not the first “Dune” adaptation. There are many fans, however, who feel that David Lynch’s film and the 2000 miniseries both fall woefully short in their own ways. Some believe that no adaptation can do the source material justice. For every attempt that’s been released, there’s at least two or three that never made it past pre-production. Famous such examples include the efforts of “The Planet of the Apes” producer Arthur P. Jacobs and a version from Paramount Pictures with Peter Berg set to direct. Filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky famously planned a 10 hour adaptation that included Orson Welles and Salvador Dali in its cast, with music by Pink Floyd. All that to say, if successful, this film will be the stuff of cinematic legend.

#8: Denis Villeneuve's Track Record

So... why do we believe that filmmaker Denis Villeneuve can crack the code of this seemingly unfilmable property? Because his filmography reads like a training manual for it. After producing a number of well-received french language Canadian films, he broke into the mainstream in 2013 with “Prisoners” and “Enemy”. Both of these films, as well as his earlier efforts, showcase his talent for tackling challenging subject matter with grace and nuance. The latter, in particular, shows that he’s not intimidated by high concept projects. Most importantly though, he’s since distinguished himself as one of the most capable cerebral sci-fi directors of his generation. “Arrival” proves he can do subtlety, while “Blade Runner 2049” establishes him as exactly the sort of director you want playing in an established sci-fi sandbox.

#7: The Universe Building

The history of sci-fi has seen countless fictional futuristic societies come and go, but few are as lovingly crafted as that of “Dune”. We’re talking about a level of complexity comparable to that of what J.R.R. Tolkien achieved with the history of Middle-Earth. The old Star Wars extended canon also comes to mind. It doesn’t matter that “Dune” is a work of fiction; the attention to detail is such that this society feels fully-functional to the point that it could exist. The biggest hurdle, when it comes to sci-fi, is getting the reader or viewer to suspend their disbelief and feel transported into this larger-than-life universe. And a world this rich has rarely, if ever, been brought to life on the big screen before.

#6: The Attention to Detail & Set Design

To bring Herbert’s world to life effectively, you need a filmmaker who is equally meticulous. Looking at the trailer, Denis Villeneuve has clearly gone above and beyond. Herbert dreamed big - far beyond the technological means of his time. Armed with his knowledge of the books, what we can only assume is a massive budget, and cutting edge VFX, Villeneuve is making the world of Dune a reality. Everything we’ve seen thus far, from costumes to ships and technology, feel as if they’re the result of a painstaking pre-production process. According to Villeneuve, a year of planning went into the sandworms alone. “From the texture of the skin… to the system to eat its food in the sand”, they endeavored to make the creature as real as possible.

#5: Doing the Novel Justice

In case the previous entry didn’t make this clear, Denis Villeneuve has a real passion for “Dune”. He’s made no secret of the fact that this has long been his dream project. Discussing his approach, the director, who also co-wrote the screenplay, has explained that he “would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie”. His justification? “The world is too complex. It’s a world that takes its power in details.” If that doesn’t suggest fealty to the source material and a fundamental understanding of Herbert’s approach to worldbuilding, we’re not sure what else could! Villeneuve credits the book’s many roots as the reason it feels so “rich”, and he’s repeatedly outlined his intention to honor this complexity and thematic richness.

#4: It's a Standalone Film

Denis Villeneuve is also working on a “Dune” spin-off prequel series intended for HBO Max. Given the many failed would-be franchises we’ve sat through in recent years, this could be seen as cause for concern. As “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” and the Dark Universe taught us the hard way, good standalone films are a prerequisite to starting a cinematic universe. Thankfully, both Villeneuve and other key players involved in the production, including cinematographer Greig Fraser, seem to subscribe to that philosophy. Villeneuve is only adapting the first half of the novel in order to do the source material justice, Fraser has clarified that it is “a fully standalone epic film that people will get a lot out of when they see it”.

#3: The Incredible Ensemble Cast

The talent that Denis Villeneuve has managed to assemble for this film is quite frankly astounding. Are you ready? The cast includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, David Dastmalchian, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa and Javier Bardem. Chalamet and Zendaya may be young, but both have proven themselves multiple times over. Furthermore, the presence of such consistently excellent performers as Ferguson, Isaac, Skarsgård, and Bardem all but guarantees that the acting will be top notch. As for Momoa and Bautista, we can only hope we’ll get to see these two heavyweights trade blows. This has “Best Ensemble” written all over it.

#2: A Relatable but Flawed Hero

Though he may be surrounded by talented actors, Timothée Chalamet is very much the star of the film. Chalamet’s work in the Greta Gerwig films “Lady Bird” and “Little Women” has earned him legions of fans. “Call Me By Your Name” is proof of his leading man potential. And while neither “Beautiful Boy” nor “The King” made as much of an impact as people expected, his performances in both are hard to fault. All things considered, we can’t think of an actor better-suited to play Paul Atreides. Chalamet is capable of coming across as charismatic, youthfully naive and wise beyond his years as needed. And all three are required for this role. Fans will quickly come to identify with Atreides, even as power threatens to corrupt him.

#1: A Balance of Cerebral Themes & Epic Spectacle

Sci-fi is an umbrella term for any fiction dealing with futuristic concepts or technology. That encompasses an endless variety of tones, approaches and subgenres. For Denis Villeneuve, his interest in sci-fi seems to be in its potential to explore high concept ideas that are also deeply human. That’s really Villeneuve’s 2016 film, “Arrival”, in a nutshell. And the director seems poised to do Herbert’s novel proud in terms of Dune’s heady themes and far-reaching ideological questions. Villeneuve seems to have learned from his work on “Blade Runner 2049” and will be pairing this with far more spectacular set pieces. From the looks of the trailer, Villeneuve is giving us Christopher Nolan levels of spectacle, ensuring that “Dune” is both a feast for the mind and eyes.