Peter Berg to Direct Dune Adaptation - Today's News: Our Take

Peter Berg by Mark Sullivan/WireImage.com

(Imagine a Venn diagram. The first circle is labeled "Sci-fi Fans." The second is labeled "Friday Night Lights Fans." In the center is this story.)

Peter Berg, who directed the film version of FNL and exec-produces the series, will now direct an adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel Dune for the big screen, according to Variety.

There have, of course, already been two adaptations of the book: David Lynch's 1984 film starring Kyle MacLachlan and a 2000 Sci Fi Channel miniseries starring William Hurt. How will Berg approach the novel's environmental themes differently? What do you think — is this a good idea? — Mickey O'Connor

See the original Dune in our Online Video Guide.

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Mar 18, 2008 12:30 PM

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Well, David Lynch's version is considered ambitious but ultimately, a failure - while the SciFi Cbannel's miniseries was received much better by critics. Unless Berg is going to have four hours to tell the story, I don't like his chances. That would be a "don't do it, Peter."
Posted by Captain Average Mar 18, 2008 1:43 PM Report Abuse

Can we just get Lynch to make another. PLEASE!
Posted by achyfakey Mar 18, 2008 2:08 PM Report Abuse

Oh boy, what an undertaking. I agree that unless Berg is planning to do an epic-style film, it will be bad. Dune has a massive following.
Posted by pinkisperfect Mar 18, 2008 5:54 PM Report Abuse

I had to roll my eyes at this one.. Another adaptation?? Please! Dune is my favorite book and has yet to transit well into a movie mainly because it's too difficult to make into a movie. It's a complicated story that is meant to be enjoyed by reading, not watching. Big sigh Perhaps I can be wrong and the ol' saying "Third times the charm" will apply.
Posted by yarny Mar 19, 2008 2:23 AM Report Abuse

There's so much within the Dune novels, how COULD they paint a perfect picture out of the many many words of Frank Herbert's Dune series? Just the initial novel alone would need to cover so many plot lines that those wanting a bang-bang for your buck movie will get disappointed when the first hour shows nothing but the humdrum atmosphere of the royal court, the setup of characters, the introduction of the many worlds and civilizations, and the overall theme of the commodity of melange being discovered and used throughout the empire. If the movie takes the notion that people already know what's going on, and keeps the scenes to faster-paced sequences, leaving out the detail of explaining what everything is and what it does, then maybe the audience can become comfortable watching a movie put forth as storyline built around the need of a peoples (fremen) awaiting their savior (paul muadib). There is so much BEFORE the first original Dune, and there is so much MORE after it covered by the rest of the series, plus the prequels and sequels by the son, Brian. I truelly do hope that if they continue this and choose a script to use, that that script chooses to portray the story within a different light than what either the Lynch or Sci-Fi versions concentrated on: the war of Houeses and the rise and fall of empires. We need to see the beginnings of the Dune universe with this first film (the robots, the jihad, the upheaval of machines through the dedication of a woman and the death of her child), show the details of the many worlds possibly within a second film (the harkonnens, atreides, corrino), then have a third installment show how the Emperor Paul is succeeded by his son, which creates a whole new universe inwhich the inhabitants must live with the birth of the god-emperor. I really do hope they think this through. Brian and Kevin J are miracle workers with the newest Dune novels. Lets not leave Miles Teg out of this! and the many many Duncan gholas!! =)

Posted by RichP

Mar 26, 2008 7:32 PM

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