Denis Villeneuve’s epic science fiction film “Dune,” which will be released on October the 1st, 2021, might just save HBO Max by copying the methods of Game of Thrones and The Mandalorian.
Denis Villeneuve was highly pessimistic when he made a statement regarding Warner Bros.’s decision to release all of its films on HBO Max and theaters. Villeneuve reckoned that the studio might have destroyed the whole “Dune” franchise with a single decision.
It is needless to say that by the looks of the trailer, it seems as if Villeneuve and his team worked tremendously hard on the project, and they had to because history is our evidence that “Dune” is not an easy novel to adapt on screen. And the anger that Villeneuve had over the fact that the studio took a unilateral decision was understandable.
Just like another veteran professional from his fraternity Christopher Nolan, Dennis Villeneuve was furious over the fact that the studio took such a big decision, however irresponsible it may be, unilaterally. Villeneuve feels that the studio did not even leave a chance for the franchise to perform financially.
However, the decision has been made, and by the looks of it, it is looking irreversible despite the cries from some of the recognizable faces of Hollywood. So, now, what next?
While Villeneuve firmly believes that this plan will not work out for a film like “Dune,” his opinions might be a little exaggerated. Yes, there is a way for “Dune” to perform financially. In other words, all is not lost.
Some critics have suggested that a possible sequel to “Dune” is only possible if it cracks the box office in October. Now, with this plan, Villeneuve fears that “Dune” will most likely perform underwhelmingly at the box office, and Warner Bros. will ultimately scrap the project. Denis Villeneuve’s other two science fiction films, “Arrival” and “Blade Runner,” though critically raved, did fail to impress at the box office. So, what is the guarantee “Dune” will not follow the same path under normal circumstances.
Believe it or not, I think the future of “Dune” lies in the direct-to-streaming service. I mean to say Game of Thrones-style premiere.
So, maybe instead of scrapping the project, Warner Bros. may offer Villeneuve to helm a TV series for the sequel, which of course, the director has every right to decline. And then again, he barely has any experience with TV series.
But that does not mean that Villeneuve cannot do it. If given all the creative freedom and money, he will very well make a longer version of the sequel. But, before that can happen, the professional relationship between the studio and the director needs to improve, which seems unlikely.
However, you would be glad, and Villeneuve will be disappointed to know that the studio does not need Villeneuve to adapt the book into a TV series. The studio does not even need its cast, barring Jason Momoa.
The sequels of the first novel tell the story thousands of years after the events of the first book.
You do know the fact that, unlike Lord of the Rings, a story like Game of Thrones wouldn’t have made it big in the theaters. Why? Because generally people have only one shot in the theaters, and there isn’t an opportunity for the slow burn, and a story like Game of Thrones, or Breaking Bad, or Dune needs that.
Even if Warner Bros. wants to respond to Disney’s Star Wars, it first needs to respond to Disney’s The Mandalorian. And the response is looking directly at their faces.
Perhaps, Denis Villeneuve will not get what he would have wanted from the film, and his journey in the franchise might very well conclude with a tragic end.
But, the tragedy does not need to continue with the ‘Dune” project. There have already been enough tragedies with “Dune.”
“Game of Thrones” and “The Mandalorian” has proved that stories like these, if relayed smartly, can grant you massive affluence.
So, choosing the route of HBO Max might very well be a blessing in disguise for “Dune.” A TV series is the best way to adapt Frank Herbert’s science fiction saga. And god forbid, it might be the only way that Villeneuve’s work does not go wasted. We will take it as a pilot of the whole sage, and when the show becomes the greatest show on planet Earth (which it very well can), Villeneuve will look back at everything and just smile.
Source-How Can “Dune” Save HBO Max
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