Denis Villeneuve responds to Quentin Tarantino's criticism of his 'Dune' franchise, seeing it as an original and adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel instead of a remake.
- November 9, 2024
AceShowbiz - Denis Villeneuve and Quentin Tarantino are two revered names in the world of cinema, each with distinct approaches and visions. Recently, they found themselves at odds over Villeneuve's adaptation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, "Dune". Tarantino, who has openly stated, "I'm not interested" in seeing any remakes, used Villeneuve's "Dune" as a case in point.
In a recent episode of Bret Easton Ellis' podcast, Tarantino expressed, "I saw [David Lynch's] 'Dune' a couple of times. I don't need to see that story again. I don't need to see spice worms. I don't need to see a movie that says the word 'spice' so dramatically."
His critique stems from his broader disdain for remakes and reboots, "It's one after another of this remake, and that remake. People ask 'Have you seen 'Dune'? Have you seen 'Ripley'? Have you seen 'Shogun'? And I'm like, 'No, no, no, no.' There's six or seven Ripley books: If you do one again, why are you doing the same one that they've done twice already?"
Villeneuve, who directed both "Dune" (2021) and the sequel "Dune: Part Two", responded candidly during a Q&A at Concordia University in Montreal. "I don't care," he stated, with laughter from the audience highlighting the moment. Villeneuve clarified his stance by saying, "I agree with him that I don't like this idea of recycling and bringing back old ideas. But where I disagree is that what I did was not a remake. It's an adaptation of the book. I see this as an original."
"Dune" (2021) was a massive success, earning six Oscars and combining both films with a remarkable $1.12 billion global box office revenue. Villeneuve remains committed to Herbert's expansive universe, with a third installment based on the 1969 novel "Dune Messiah" expected to start filming in late 2025 or 2026.
Nevertheless, Villeneuve emphasized that he doesn't see the third film as completing a trilogy, stating, "First, it's important that people understand that for me, it was really a diptych. It was really a pair of movies that will be the adaptation of the first book. That's done and that's finished. If I do a third one, which is in the writing process, it's not like a trilogy. It's strange to say that, but if I go back there, it's to do something that feels different and has its own identity."
