Dune Redone?

By Will Reynolds / June 25, 2011

David Lynch film and the more recent mini-series, but it's one of those science fiction novels that often makes it into top ten lists and the like. The book has an interesting mythology surrounding it and Hollywood can't seem to leave it alone. Ain't It Cool are reporting that a new film may be going forward at Paramount, with Peter Berg helming, and possibly Shia LaBeouf starring. To further fan the flames, Byron Merritt (Frank Herbert's grandson) posted on a Dune forum a while back with an update on a potential movie:

€œWe're getting VERY close to a deal. Heard that news today,€ he posted on Friday, following that up with, €œAlthough only rumor, I've heard that "someone" at the studio wants Dune reallllly bad and has been a fan of the novel for "years." They're not saying who this is (and it might just be hype) but I'm holding out hope that whoever this might be is a big enough fan that he/she will do the book justice. Supposedly it's some director.€

To steal a phrase from Zoolander. Peter Berg is "so hot right now" and is getting to a place I would call the sub A-list. That fascinating realm includes the likes of Bryan Singer and Chris Nolan, directors who aren't quite up their with Spielberg, Scorsese or Ridley Scott but have had enough critical and financial success to get passion projects moving. If Berg wants Dune then I think he's in with a shot of getting it made. He's a director I admire, but more so for Friday Night Lights and Welcome to the Jungle - everyone shot their wad over The Kingdom but I really couldn't see what the fuss was about. Sure, the final action sequence was breathtaking but I didn't feel engaged with the events leading up to it. And the "ending ending" just made me cringe. It'll be interesting to see if this new Dune gets made; could something that's failed twice strike it lucky third time around? source - aicn