Denis Villenueve’s Dune has been compared to Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings already by one member of the crew, while very early reactions claimed it had the potential to be this generation’s Star Wars. However, leading man Timothée Chalamet has offered yet another beloved fantasy franchise as a spiritual bedfellow: Harry Potter.
We’ve heard good things about Dune, with phases used like “cinematic masterpiece“. Indeed, a spinoff series is in development for HBO Max. Of course, the literary adaptation is only telling half a story; thus, hope that audiences turn out in droves to support Villenueve’s vision, especially when the filmmaker said watching it at home would be like having a speedboat in the bathtub.
In a new interview, Chalamet compared the generational influence of Frank Herbert’s source novel to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, admitting he’s wracked with excitement as Dune finally begins entering the final stretch of the marketing campaign ahead of October 22nd’s bow.
“It was nerve-wracking from the announcement. And so much of our pop culture and films and books have been derived from Dune, and all the philosophy in the book. I’ve been shocked to learn how many people have a next-level connection to the book. I compare it to how our generation grew up with Harry Potter, and that one makes sense to me. But it’s cool to see with Dune also, when you actually sit down and read it. It’s not that it’s a quote-unquote ‘hard read’ or anything, but it’s not made to be consumed easily, I think that’s fair to say.”
If Dune won rave reviews but flopped at the box office and extinguished hopes for a sequel, it would be unfortunate. Though, Villenueve was in this boat before with Blade Runner 2049. The movie looks incredible, and it demands to be seen on the biggest screen. Sadly, the theatrical industry is in a constant state of flux these days; nothing can be taken for granted or guaranteed.
