It was the eyes that drew Denis Villeneuve to B次元官网网址淒une.B次元官网网址�

Long before heB次元官网网址檇 decided to become a filmmaker, he was just a teenager browsing a bookstore when he spotted the cover of Frank HerbertB次元官网网址檚 1965 novel. But it wasnB次元官网网址檛 a hard sell for the biology obsessed 14-year-old who had already learned that science fiction was a way to dream on a grand scale.

Then he read it and was mesmerized by the poetic, atmospheric story of a young manB次元官网网址檚 heroic journey that dealt with religion, politics, destiny, heritage, the environment, colonialism and giant space worms.

B次元官网网址淚t became an obsession,B次元官网网址� Villeneuve, 54, said.

And it was just the beginning of a decade-spanning dream that is finally coming to fruition as his own version of B次元官网网址淒uneB次元官网网址� makes its way to North American theaters Friday.

Villeneuve is not the first filmmaker who has dared to fantasize about making B次元官网网址淒une,B次元官网网址� but heB次元官网网址檚 the first to see his vision realized in a way that might satisfy both fans and novices. For a book that has inspired so much science fiction over the past 50 years, from B次元官网网址淪tar WarsB次元官网网址� to B次元官网网址淎lien,B次元官网网址� filmed adaptations have proved difficult. First there was Alejandro JodorowskyB次元官网网址檚 near-mythic movie slash 14-hour event that would have starred Mick Jagger, Orson Welles, Gloria Swanson and Salvador Dali (chronicled in the 2013 documentary B次元官网网址淛odorowskyB次元官网网址檚 DuneB次元官网网址�). Then David LynchB次元官网网址檚 swing was a critical and commercial flop when it was released in 1984.

B次元官网网址淒uneB次元官网网址� seemed cursed until producers Mary Parent and Cale Boyter acquired the rights through Legendary and found out that Villeneuve, who had established himself as a filmmaker with that rare ability to make large scale films that are cerebral and commercially viable, was a lifelong fan. Plans were set in motion to try to make B次元官网网址淒uneB次元官网网址� once more B次元官网网址� with a $165 million production budget.

B次元官网网址淢y movie is not an act of arrogance,B次元官网网址� Villeneuve said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an act of humility. My dream was that a hardcore fan of `DuneB次元官网网址� would feel that I put a camera in their mind.B次元官网网址�

The book was his bible and compass throughout the process. He kept it close on set so that the spirit of it was always nearby and encouraged his crew and cast to read it closely as well. And he wasnB次元官网网址檛 daunted by the outsized expectations. HeB次元官网网址檚 the one who made a sequel to B次元官网网址淏lade RunnerB次元官网网址� after all (although that is a whole different story and one that he still thinks was a bad idea even though heB次元官网网址檇 do it again in a heartbeat).

B次元官网网址淚 will not say `DuneB次元官网网址� is an impossible task. I think itB次元官网网址檚 a difficult one,B次元官网网址� Villeneuve said. B次元官网网址淐reativity is linked with risk. I love to jump in with no safety net. ItB次元官网网址檚 part of my nature.B次元官网网址�

Part of that difficulty was homing in on a film that would appeal to die-hards and newcomers. The first step was convincing the studio that heB次元官网网址檇 need two films to complete the story. Although they agreed, the second has yet to get the official B次元官网网址済o.B次元官网网址�

He and screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth simplified the structure to focus on Paul Atreides, the young aristocrat whose family takes control of the dangerous, desert planet Arrakis, home to the universeB次元官网网址檚 most valued resource, as an intergalactic power struggling between ruling families heats up. He had only one name in mind for the part: Timothee Chalamet.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 not a lot of actors like Timothee in the word,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭imothee has an old soul. For a young man of his age, he has a really impressive maturity. At the same time, Timothee looks really young on camera.B次元官网网址�

And thereB次元官网网址檚 that B次元官网网址渞ock starB次元官网网址� charisma that would lend credence to his evolution into a messianic figure that B次元官网网址渨ill lead a world into chaos.B次元官网网址�

The film is packed with lauded actors, including Rebecca Ferguson as PaulB次元官网网址檚 mother and Oscar Isaac as his father. The movie also has Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsg氓rd, Javier Bardem, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Zendaya, whom he led on a globetrotting journey to Hungary, Jordan, Abu Dhabi and Norway.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been in these adventure films that really try to add a lot of emotion. But thereB次元官网网址檚 something that is so poetic in the way that Denis approaches this massive film and the scale of it,B次元官网网址� Isaac said. B次元官网网址淓ven if thereB次元官网网址檚 explosions, even if thereB次元官网网址檚 giant worms, heB次元官网网址檚 just always looking at it through his poetic lens, which for me is totally, totally unique.B次元官网网址�

It was especially important to be in the desert to film the Arrakis scenes, which meant harsh conditions and sand getting, well, everywhere. But it was vital to do it on location.

B次元官网网址淚t would have been impossible to do on the stage or on a backlot,B次元官网网址� Villeneuve said. B次元官网网址淢aybe IB次元官网网址檓 too old fashioned but thatB次元官网网址檚 the way I work.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淒uneB次元官网网址� was originally slated to come out last year before the pandemic upended most theatrical releases. Villeneuve used that time to his filmB次元官网网址檚 advantage.

B次元官网网址淚t was very nice for me to have the chance to let the movie sleep a little, coming back to it, sizzle it,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f people donB次元官网网址檛 like the movie, I have no excuses because I had the time to do it and the resources.B次元官网网址�

But as welcome as the added time was, the pandemic also led to the decision to release all of Warner Bros. 2021 slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Villeneuve responded at the time with a strongly worded open letter that ran in the trade publication Variety, that wasnB次元官网网址檛 just about his film but the implications for the future of cinema.

Ten months later, the pandemic is still going and the release strategy has held its course, even as theatrical attendance ramps up.

B次元官网网址淲e are in a pandemic and that reality is twisted right now, and I totally understand if people canB次元官网网址檛 go to the theater or people are afraid of the theater. I respect that and thatB次元官网网址檚 the priority. Health is the priority,B次元官网网址� Villeneuve said. B次元官网网址淏ut the movie has been made, designed, dreamed to be seen on a big screen.B次元官网网址�

The film has made $129 million so far during its international roll out. Now comes the test of the North American audience, who will have the option to go to the theater or watch it on HBO Max. Hanging on the line is the sequel B次元官网网址� or, more accurately, the conclusion to the first film.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 know when itB次元官网网址檚 going to be decided, but it will come down to if the movie generates enough enthusiasm, if thereB次元官网网址檚 enough passion about it. WeB次元官网网址檒l see. IB次元官网网址檓 at peace with that. I hope there will be a Part 2,B次元官网网址� he said.

VilleneuveB次元官网网址檚 grateful that he gets to show the world at least part of what heB次元官网网址檚 been dreaming about for almost 40 years.

B次元官网网址淚 had the time of my life making `Dune,B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� Villeneuve said.

B次元官网网址擫indsey Bahr, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS