Behold our first look at ‘Dune’

“A beginning is a very delicate time.”

So narrates the Princess Irulan in the opening paragraph of Frank Herbert’s all-encompassing classic piece of science fiction literature in Dune, the 1965 marvel which has continued inspire readers the world over.

Now acclaimed filmmaker Denis Villeneuve brings to life his new vision of this acclaimed piece of literature to the big screen and it is sure to be a film to be revered.

Thanks to Vanity Fair, and after much excitement, we now have our first look at Dune, and the story’s central hero Paul Atreides, whom will be played by the extraordinarily talented Timothée Chalamet.

This first image finds Paul, heir to the House Atredies, the son of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), and his concubine wife Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) ,on his family’s homeworld of Caladan, with the young man seeming to mourn the loss of it’s vast lush greeness and bountiful water as descending spaceships prepare to take Paul and his family to the harsh desert planet of Arrakis, the most important planet in the known universe for its ability to generate the vital Spice Melange.

Speaking with Vanity Fair, Chalamet gave an insight into the character of Paul saying, “the immediately appealing thing about Paul was the fact that in a story of such detail and scale and world-building, the protagonist is on an anti-hero’s-journey of sorts,” Chalamet said.

“He thinks he’s going to be sort of a young general studying his father and his leadership of a fighting force before he comes of age, hopefully a decade later, or something like that.” Chalamet said.

What awaits Paul and his family, along with those loyal to them who include the Atreides weapon master Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), swordmaster Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), and the calculating physician Dr. Wellington Yueh (Chang Chen), is the harshness of the desert planet of Arrakis, which is inhabited by the native ferel Freman, led by the captivating Stilgar (Javier Bardem), and which is lorded over by the harsh, brutal and cunning House Harkonnen, whom consist of the repugnant Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgård) and his brutish nephews Feyd Ruetha and ‘Beast’ Rabban (Dave Bautista).

Dune is a narrative of broad themes and vast imagery, and Villeneuve has called the work his passion project, and has undoubtedly given everything of himself to this project as a filmmaker. This first visual image looks incredibly crisp and beautiful thanks to the lens of cinematographer Greig Fraser, and you can be certain that the score will be rousing thanks to the talents of Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Batman Begins), whom has also called the film a passion project and will provide something incredible to listen to.

While Dune is currently stick to it’s December release date, and has so far not been pushed because of fears related to COVID-19, Denis Villeneuve has gone onto praise the cast and crew of this work, saying that this film belongs to very diverse family.

“Dune was made by people from all over the world. Many of these people are like family to me, and they’re very much in my thoughts,” Villeneuve said. “I’m so proud to showcase their hard work. I look forward to a time when we can all get together again as Dune was made to be seen on the big screen.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

In the far future of humanity, Duke Leto Atreides accepts stewardship of the dangerous desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the most valuable substance in the universe, “the spice”, a drug which extends human life, provides superhuman levels of thought, and makes foldspace travel possible. Though Leto knows the opportunity is an intricate trap set by his enemies, the Harkonnens, he takes his Bene Gesserit concubine Lady Jessica, young son and heir Paul, and most trusted advisers to Arrakis, also known as Dune. Leto takes control of the spice mining operation, which is made perilous by the presence of giant sandworms. A bitter betrayal leads Paul and Jessica to the Fremen, natives of Arrakis who live in the deep desert.

Dune is our most anticipated film of 2020 and this first look image is utterly incredible to behold and promises more amazement to come. It will arrive in cinemas on December 26.

Source: Vanity Fair

Image: Roadshow Films