Culture Crash: The Release of “Dune”

Dune, a novel published by Frank Herbert in 1965, actually served as inspiration for a number of the more successful fantasy and sci-fi epics, like Star Wars and The Matrix. But it was long-believed to be un-filmable. David Lynch tried in the 1980s to mixed results at best, and it has sort of been in development hell for decades.

But when Denis Villeneuve decided to take it on, people were rightfully excited. He proved he could do stunning visuals and bonkers sci-fi well with Blade Runner 2049, and he showed that he had uniquely universal storytelling chops with Sicario, Arrival and a number of other films.

After long delays due to the pandemic, Denis Villeneuve’s Dune was finally released last month and… it’s awesome. With gorgeous visuals, unimaginable scale, an incredible Hans Zimmer score, and a star-studded cast that puts other star-studded casts to shame, Dune has captured the imaginations of people around the world and brought them into the universe first imagined by Frank Herbert all those years ago. The movie managed to turn in impressive box office receipts, despite the ongoing pandemic and the fact that the movie was released on HBO Max the same day it entered theaters.

Now, the sky’s the limit for the Dune universe. What was previously considered un-filmable now has a hit movie that promises to be in contention come award season, a green-lit sequel set for release in 2023, and an HBO Max spin-off series is in development as well. If you like fantasy stories, worlds with a deep mythology, or just like keeping up with the zeitgeist, Dune is a must-watch.

Dune is now in theaters, and it will be streaming on HBO Max through November 21.