Photo: IMDB
Cover Image: IMDB

The trailer broke the internet upon its release last week. What can we expect from the latest cinematic adaptation of the classic sci-fi novel?

Dune is based on the award-winning 1965 novel by Frank Herbert. The 55-year-old book has been brought to screen twice, but both fell short in comparison to the books. This year’s Dune, however, aims to be different.

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Above Timothee Chalamet and Rebecca Ferguson (Image: IMDB)

The movie is set on the inhospitable desert planet, Arrakis, and follows the journey of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) who comes from a noble family. He was entrusted by emperor Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV to oversee the harvest of “the spice”, an incredibly valuable and powerful substance that lies deep within the planet. The spice is a drug that can extend human life and bestow superhuman knowledge and incredible speed to whoever takes it; making it a highly sought after element.

Duke Leto is joined by his son, Paul (Timothée Chalamet), who is believed to be the messiah that will save Arrakis, and the rest of the galaxy. But their conquest proves to be more than just a summer vacation; it is instead a life-threatening voyage, with the desert planet being home to monstrous creatures, humongous sandworms, and highly-skilled battalions and armies who have one goal in mind—to retrieve the drug.

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Above Denis Villeneuve (Photo: IMDB)

More than a galactic conquest, Dune tackles issues relevant to today’s reality (of course, minus the deathly monsters and sandworms), from politics and religion to being a staggering metaphor of slowly killing a planet in the process mining its greatest resources.

Aside from its impressive cast and an exhilarating plot, the visuals promise to thrill what with Oscar-winning director Denis Villeneuve directing the film. When Villeneuve accepted the task in early 2018, he promised to make Dune into a two-part movie series to give justice to the complex story.

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Chalamet is joined by Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Rebecca Ferguson and Dave Bautista. 

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