Masters of blockbuster bombast Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve shared the same views when it came to their movies being shown on anything other than the biggest screen possible, so it was always likely that their respective cinematic visions would chime with one another, and that has proven to be the case now that the Dunkirk director has seen Dune, calling it “a gift to film fans everywhere”.
In conversation for The Directors Cut Podcast, the two sat down at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles to discuss everything from splitting Frank Herbert’s classic novel into two based on the box-office performance of Blade Runner 2049 -“they were a bit cold at the idea of investing in two movies right away.”, their approach to using CGI – “you try to embrace reality”, and most notably Nolan’s effusive praise for what Villeneuve had created with Dune.
The Tenet director told his blockbusting brethren that “It’s [Dune] one of the most seamless marriages of live-action photography and computer-generated visual effects that I’ve seen” and that it’s “It’s very, very compelling at every turn.” He didn’t stop there though, continuing to say “I think this film is going to introduce a whole new generation of fans to Dune who have never read the book and perhaps will go and read it now. I think it’s an extraordinary piece of work. I’ve had the luxury of seeing it a couple of times now, and each time I watch it I discover new things, new details to the world. The way in which it’s made is absolutely for the big screen. It’s a real pleasure and a real gift to film fans everywhere — and thank you very much for that, Denis.”
SEE ALSO: Dune mines $40 million at the U.S. box office, but opens soft in China
Dune‘s global cume currently stands at $223M worldwide, and with no word yet from Warner Bros. regarding the performance of the film on HBO Max, fans are holding their breath regarding a sequel announcement.
The entire half-hour chat can be listened to here, and it’s well worth spending some time in the company of the two auteurs, but in the meantime let us know what you think about Nolan’s Dune appraisal. Do you agree with his positive take? Let us know what you think by heading to our social channels @FlickeringMyth…
A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Dune is directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049) and sees Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name) leading the cast alongside Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Fallout), Oscar Isaac (Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Dave Bautista (Avengers: Infinity War), Stellan Skarsgard (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again), Charlotte Rampling (Red Sparrow), Zendaya (Spider-Man: Far From Home), Javier Bardem (Loving Pablo), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Josh Brolin (Avengers: Endgame), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Fences), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Sex Education), and Chang Chen (The Assassin).
