Support NeoGAF

[mortal]

A First Look at Timothée Chalamet in Dune

Part one of our preview of Denis Villeneuve’s adaptation of the epic sci-fi novel.

www.vanityfair.com

This is the first look at Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides on his native planet of Caladan from this December’s film version of the novel, directed by Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 filmmaker Denis Villeneuve.
The 1965 book was so seismic in its influence that its echoes still turn up in sci-fi and fantasy storytelling half a century later. Still, it has stubbornly defied appropriate adaptation itself.

Let the spice flow if old.

 

[hyperbertha]

Did he lose his watch on the beach? I can relate.

 

[MiyazakiHatesKojima]

Looks pretty gay to me.

Also, move this to OT.

 

[brenobnfm]

PS5? Can't see the PS4 handling these graphics

 

[GreyHorace]

Guessing that's Paul on Caladan just before he and Jessica leave for Arrakas.

Hopefully Vanity Fair does a more thorough preview of the movie just as they often do with Star Wars.

 

[mortal]

Guessing that's Paul on Caladan just before he and Jessica leave for Arrakas.

Hopefully Vanity Fair does a more thorough preview of the movie just as they often do with Star Wars.

I hope so too. This is the only film I give a damn about this year. Whether or not it will still make release by December, I'm just happy to finally see something.

 

[GreyHorace]

I hope so too. This is the only film I give a damn about this year. Whether or not it will still make release by December, I'm just happy to finally see something.

Unless some sort of fuckup happens by studio interference or trouble on set, I'm pretty confident Denis Villenueve will deliver a good movie. He already proved himself with doing the impoosible by making Blade Runner 2049.

My only concern is whether this will click with audiences. Dune is not like Star Wars or Star Trek and it has a much more hardcore scifi tone and feel. Plus the fact that Paul Atreides is not really a hero you can root for as Frank Herbert wrote him.

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

There's a lot of context from the book missing in the movie attempts thus far. One of the biggest omissions is that both Lady Jessica and Paul intended to deceive the "primitive" Fremen into sheltering them by playing off their prophecy. Neither Paul nor Jessica initially believed the prophecy about Mahdi nor did they understand that the Mahdi and the Kwisatz Haderach are essentially the same thing.

I wonder how in depth the movie will get. I'm excited to see it, in either case.

 

[GreyHorace]

There's a lot of context from the book missing in the movie attempts thus far. One of the biggest omissions is that both Lady Jessica and Paul intended to deceive the "primitive" Fremen into sheltering them by playing off their prophecy. Neither Paul nor Jessica initially believed the prophecy about Mahdi nor did they understand that the Mahdi and the Kwisatz Haderach are essentially the same thing.

I wonder how in depth the movie will get. I'm excited to see it, in either case.

I thought the prophecy of the Mahdi was just something the Bene Geserit made up? They called it the Misssionaria Protectiva, which were beliefs they seeded among primitive tribes around the universe. This enabled them to manipulate the local populace whenever a Bene Geserit got in trouble. Paul with Jessica's guidance was able to use the Fremen's belief to make himself a god figure in their eyes. The messiah they would call Muad'Dib.

Hopefully Denis Villenueve explores this theme in his film.

 

[DonJorginho]

Looks pretty gay to me.

Also, move this to OT.

This is gonna win best picture for the next Oscars, Denis is a God behind the camera!

 

[DunDunDunpachi]

I thought the prophecy of the Mahdi was just something the Bene Geserit made up? They called it the Misssionaria Protectiva, which were beliefs they seeded among primitive tribes around the universe. This enabled them to manipulate the local populace whenever a Bene Geserit got in trouble. Paul with Jessica's guidance was able to use the Fremen's belief to make himself a god figure in their eyes. The messiah they would call Muad'Dib.

Hopefully Denis Villenueve explores this theme in his film.

I forgot about that aspect of it, good point.

 

[T-Cake]

Damn, now I need to go find "Frank Herbert's Dune (2000)" to watch.

 

[mortal]

My only concern is whether this will click with audiences. Dune is not like Star Wars or Star Trek and it has a much more hardcore scifi tone and feel. Plus the fact that Paul Atreides is not really a hero you can root for as Frank Herbert wrote him.

Yep. I think it'll have a similar reception to Blade Runner 2049. Ciriiclaly acclaimed, generally loved by fans of Science Fiction, but won't pull the same general audience as Marvel or Star Wars. Which is a good thing, imo, as the themes in the books are not about the veneration of heroes that you typically see in a Star Wars or a super hero film.

The marketing needs to do some heavy lifting to attract the proper audience. I'm a bit concerned that coronavirus situation will have a negative effect.

I wonder how in depth the movie will get. I'm excited to see it, in either case.

The first book is being split into 2 films. So hopefully that's an indication that they're not going to rush through, and will try to explore as much of the book's thematic depth that can be explored in the span of 2 feature length films.

At the very least, it's going to be one of the most beautiful looking science fiction films, and the cast seems very promising. We'll just have to see, but I'm hopeful they'll do a tremendous job.

 

[Hendrick's]

Looks good so far. I think (hope) this is in good hands. With such a seminal work of fiction, hope they don't stray too far from the source material.

 

[GreyHorace]

Yep. I think it'll have a similar reception to Blade Runner 2049. Ciriiclaly acclaimed, generally loved by fans of Science Fiction, but won't pull the same general audience as Marvel or Star Wars. Which is a good thing, imo, as the themes in the books are not about the veneration of heroes that you typically see in a Star Wars or a super hero film.

The marketing needs to do some heavy lifting to attract the proper audience. I'm a bit concerned that coronavirus situation will have a negative affect.

Well... they pretty much said the same thing about The Lord of the Rings and those movies became massive successes. But LOTR has that heroic epic narrative that a general audience can easily root for. Plus Peter Jackson is a filmmaker very much in the same vein as Spielberg and Lucas so his style is very much suited for a blockbuster tentpole.

Dune however, is not a traditional heroic epic. In many ways one could say it's a deconstruction of the epic with characters who are much more morally ambiguous rather than good or evil. And Denis Villenueve is not a your typical popcorn director who makes crowd pleasing films.

I still hope the film does well in the box office, but this not exactly a surefire hit.

 

[mortal]

 

[infinitys_7th]

If only we could get Harvey Weinstein to play Baron Harkonnen.

 

[Tesseract]

looks good, clean

when are we getting a trailer?

 

[mortal]

looks good, clean

when are we getting a trailer?

Hopefully soon. All I need is just one solid tailer, and I'm on black out till release.

 

[JLMC469]

This is gonna win best picture for the next Oscars, Denis is a God behind the camera!

Probably be nominated in the same categories as Bladerunner 2049:

Cinematography (won)
Visual Effects (won)
Sound Editing
Sound Mixing
Production Design

 

[The Shift]

The casting in this blows - Jason Mamoa as Duncan Idaho ? I can’t take that seriously. Zendaya as Chani? Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck? A retconned female Liet Keynes? Merde! Its just so fucking laughable. Go home Denis.

 

[mortal]

The casting in this blows - Jason Mamoa as Duncan Idaho ? I can’t take that seriously. Zendaya as Chani? Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck? A retconned female Liet Keynes? Merde! Its just so fucking laughable. Go home Denis.

Man what a horrible take lol

 

[The Shift]

Man what a horrible take lol

We'll you've obviously never read the books but carry on.

 

[mortal]

We'll you've obviously never read the books but carry on.

I have, but do carry on with your horrible takes. Everyone's entitled to one.

 

[Cunth]

what an awesome picture. saved for my desktop

 

[The Shift]

I have, but do carry on with your horrible takes. Everyone's entitled to one.

Ah I see - that explains your lack of an elaborate response to my initial post.

Go on then - justify how:

A Swordmaster (basically a space ninja) can be a dopey faced beefcake that can't utter dialog in any convincing way.
A pop starlet that has the claim to fame of voicing a Bigfoot in a failed animated movie is somehow a convincing terrorist assassin.
A Marvel movie actor.
A sex/gender swap that retcons all Printed/Cinematic/Episodic TV material thus far.

How in any way, shape or form is any of the above a good thing for a Dune movie?

Edit - Full Cast so far:

Great:

• Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen Mohiam, a Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother and the Emperor's Truthsayer
• Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, sworn enemy to Leto and former steward of Arrakis
• Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Paul's Bene Gesserit mother and concubine to Duke Leto

Shrug:

• Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, the scion of House Atreides
• David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries, a twisted Mentat loyal to the Baron
• Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, a nobleman newly bestowed with the stewardship of the dangerous planet Arrakis, source of the spice
• Javier Bardem as Stilgar, leader of the Fremen tribe at Sietch Tabr
• Chang Chen as Dr. Wellington Yueh, a Suk doctor in the employ of the Atreides
• Stephen McKinley Henderson

Trash:

• Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, weapons master of House Atreides and Paul's mentor
• Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, the brutish nephew of Baron Harkonnen
• Zendaya as Chani, Fremen daughter of Imperial Planetologist Liet-Kynes and Paul's love interest
• Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, swordmaster of House Atreides

 

[JimmyJones]

I'm trying to read the book but there's so much terminology I'm constantly flicking to the back to see what the hell it means!

 

[The Shift]

I'm trying to read the book but there's so much terminology I'm constantly flicking to the back to see what the hell it means!

Perseverance is a big requirement - it will pay off though, especially if you go on to read Children Of Dune and the GOAT entry - God Emperor Of Dune.

Many of us have read the whole series many, many times over and still find new meanings and perspectives within. One thing is clear - you will either love it or loathe it. This new movie will probably appeal to Marvel movie watchers to some extent so it obviously will be dumbed down for that audience. There are multiple cast members from those movies playing hugely important character roles that just don't have the presence or acting chops to elevate the material.

 

[Tesseract]

presence and chops are sliding scales, directors either coax good performances outta actors (or not)

not calling them puppets, but i am

 

[The Shift]

presence and chops are sliding scales, directors either coax good performances outta actors (or not)

not calling them puppets, but i am

True - I think Rampling will outclass everyone and own the whole show.

 

[Porcile]

We must trust Denis.

 

[mortal]

Go on then - justify how:

Justify what? You're the one making conclusions for a film that isn't even out yet.

Your outlines are so shallow, it's hard to even take you seriously. It's almost as if these people actors, wow. It's almost as if they can transform into their respective roles with a good script and a capable director with a vision. In opinion many of these actors gave solid performances in past work I've seen them in, with some being more seasoned than others.

Timothee in Beautiful Boy
Josh Brolin & Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men
Brolin in Sicario & Sin City
Bardem in Biutiful
Oscar Isaac in Ex-Machina & Inside Llewyn Davis
David Dastmalchian in Prisoners & BR 2049
Dave Bautista in BR 2049 & GotG. Seeing him in these two roles convinced he has more range that I thought.
Stephen McKinley Henderson in Fences
Zendaya in Euphoria. I was unfamiliar with her acting, so I decided to watch this series and was pleasantly surprised.
Jason Momoa in Game of Thrones

I actually like the casting, as for the roles I'm still uncertain about, I'm going to wait and watch the film before making conclusions about whether or not they're shit,
You know, like a reasonable person.

 

[The Shift]

Justify what? You're the one making conclusions for a film that isn't even out yet.

Your outlines are so shallow, it's hard to even take you seriously. It's almost as if these people actors, wow. It's almost as if they can transform into their respective roles with a good script and a capable director with a vision. In opinion many of these actors gave solid performances in past work I've seen them in, with some being more seasoned than others.

Timothee in Beautiful Boy
Josh Brolin & Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men
Brolin in Sicario & Sin City
Bardem in Biutiful
Oscar Isaac in Ex-Machina & Inside Llewyn Davis
David Dastmalchian in Prisoners & BR 2049
Dave Bautista in BR 2049 & GotG. Seeing him in these two roles convinced he has more range that I thought.
Stephen McKinley Henderson in Fences
Zendaya in Euphoria. I was unfamiliar with her acting, so I decided to watch this series and was pleasantly surprised.
Jason Momoa in Game of Thrones

I actually like the casting, as for the roles I'm still uncertain about, I'm going to wait and watch the film before making conclusions about whether or not they're shit,
You know, like a reasonable person.

Here's a tip - your perpectives/outlines that you weren't going to do mean absolutely fuck all to me. My investment is in the literature itself. Obviously a lot if these actors do not have the class to pull that off.

Have your nonsensical horrible take - you can own that.

 

[mortal]

Here's a tip - your perpectives/outlines that you weren't going to do mean absolutely fuck all to me. My investment is in the literature itself. Obviously a lot if these actors do not have the class to pull that off.

Have your nonsensical horrible take - you can own that.

This thread is about the film adaptation, smart ass. Not the book.

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Thanks for posting. I really enjoyed Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 so I'll definitely give Dune a watch when it releases.

 

[The Shift]

This thread is about the film adaptation, smart ass. Not the book.

One would hope the screenplay this movie is using is based on the book. Or did the writers only reference the David Lynch take? This movie just didn't occur out of thin air.

 

[Shizumapower]

The producers after watching BR2049.

'we just made the most expensive independent movie ever.'

DV 'may I repeat?'

Yes please. Love the look of his films.

 

[Shizumapower]

Did he lose his watch on the beach? I can relate.

 

[ManaByte]

More coming tomorrow.

 

[Bolivar687]

I will accept nothing less than perfection.

 

[mortal]

Behold Dune: A New Look at Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and More

Feuding royals. A deadly planet. Before Star Wars or Game of Thrones, there was this legendary story.

www.vanityfair.com

 

[The Shift]

Looks sterile, Fremen hair and skin in pristine condition - Chan doesn't look like someone who has lived the hardest of lives in the Desert. Swap in Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley and could pass as shots from modern Star Wars. Is that Jason Mamoa tackling a sand dune with a pirate shirt on?

 

[Grand Theft Scratchy]

Looks interesting. Curious to see it come together in the first trailer.

 

[Tesseract]

Behold Dune: A New Look at Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and More

Feuding royals. A deadly planet. Before Star Wars or Game of Thrones, there was this legendary story.

www.vanityfair.com

if you told me these types dressed like this outside work at various cult orgs, i'd prolly believe you

 

[DESTROYA]

Don’t you hate when your grocery bags rip and it gets dumped on the ground? Happened to me the other day and I had the same look on my face with the ripped bags whipping around me laughing.

 

[Kadayi]

The Sky is Falling

LOL, We haven't even seen a trailer yet. So maybe hold your horses there cripple tits.

 

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Despite being in her late 30s, Rebecca Ferguson looks almost too young for Jessica in these shots. Oscar Isaac looks great as Leto.

 

[Tesseract]

rebecca ferguson is a mega babe and prolly some kinda vampire

 

[The Shift]

LOL, We haven't even seen a trailer yet. So maybe hold your horses there cripple tits.

LOL, we have seen the cast shots, some cinematic shots and on set photographer shots - all visual representations of the final film, and all authorised by the production studio for public consumption and critique.

 

[Kadayi]

LOL, we have seen the cast shots, some cinematic shots and on set photographer shots - all visual representations of the final film, and all authorised by the production studio for public consumption and critique.

And your point is what exactly? I' don't like this actor, therefore, it's going to suck? Grow some patience.

Has villeneuve made a bad movie yet?