Is Peter Berg Departing 'Dune'?
Filed under: Action, Classics, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Paramount, RumorMonger, Scripts, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Remakes and Sequels
Last March, the trades confirmed that Peter Berg was the latest director brave enough (or foolish enough) to tackle a new adaptation of Frank Herbert's legendary Dune. News has been scarce since, though just last month Berg was assuring MTV that he was still involved, and that he was trying to crunch Josh Zetumer's 200-page script into something manageable "without offending the purists." Other than some intriguing Robert Pattinson casting rumors, there hasn't been much for fans to really discuss or rant about. But an intriguing story has popped up on Pajiba. Their inside source claims that Berg has dropped out of the Dune remake, and that Paramount is scrambling for a new director. The search is fraught with difficulty for Paramount, according to Pajiba's source. "The search, however, has run into two issues: 1) they're looking for a director who can put the movie together for under $175 million, which sounds manageable, but they don't want anything resembling the crap effects of the '84 film, and 2) they want a director who already has a preexisting passion for the novel and is enthusiastic about the project." But the search has allegedly landed on two splashy newcomers: Neil Marshall and and Neill Blomkamp. Marshall is said to be the frontrunner, championed by producer Kevin Misher. But the studio lukewarm on Marshall's resume and likes Blomkamp, who they feel has the "vision" for the film.
This is all rumor and speculation at this point, and nowhere is it stated why Berg dropped out of the remake. (A schedule conflict would be likely. Berg has one heck of a full plate.) There's also something a little too dreamy about those mentions of Blomkamp and Marshall. I'm very, very curious to see how this little rumor is played out, and if it could lead to a Dune adaptation that's palatable and faithful to Herbert.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-28-2009 @ 12:56PM
Tennyson said...
Would I watch Neill Blomkamp's Dune? Hell yes, I would.
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10-28-2009 @ 1:05PM
martisco said...
Whoa. I read the first paragraph of this post and thought "Neill Blomkamp." I guess he is the flavor of the month right now.
However, as much as I enjoyed District 9 (and Blomkamp's other work), I'd wait and see until after his next film before mentally fantasy-hiring him for Dune. One concern I have with Blomkamp is his ability to handle the large cast of (human) actors that a Dune movie would require. He was blessed with a terrific actor (and friend) on District 9 who was basically allowed to run around and write all his own dialogue; but the rest of the cast was pretty much one-dimensional window dressing, though that didn't hurt the movie at all. A Dune movie would demand a different approach.
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10-28-2009 @ 4:16PM
Michael Worrall said...
Rappe wrote: .." which sounds manageable, but they don't want anything resembling the crap effects of the '84 film,.."
What condescending and lazy writing. I'll take the miniatures and back projection of Lynch’s DUNE any day over the so-called "advanced" and "realistic" CGI that degrades the film image. Every time I read an article here, it becomes painfully aware how ignorant the writers are of the process of filmmaking and film history. Much easier to make a snide comment--or take a "it's modern, so it's superior" approach--than do your homework and actually make an argument.
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10-29-2009 @ 1:09AM
CoreyBean said...
Calm, calm, calm, calm, calm. Easy... easy.
10-28-2009 @ 4:20PM
Elisabeth said...
The quote you take offense at is a quote from the original Pajiba article. Hence the "quotation" marks around it and the citation "according to Pajiba's source."
But as you point out, it's so much easier to make a snide comment than to actually do your homework. Click on my name. I haven't written a single article that sneers at an older film's special effects, nor at film history.
10-28-2009 @ 4:55PM
Rebekah said...
I have loved Dune for so long and everytime a rumor of a serious remake comes up my heart beats just a little bit faster. I would love to see either of these filmakers take the helm, but in all honesty I think Terry Gilliam would do a phenomenal job with Herbert's work.
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10-29-2009 @ 3:25AM
jiang said...
I have loved Dune for so long and everytime a rumor of a serious remake comes up my heart beats just a little bit faster.http://www.christianlouboutins.de
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