Why Dune Is The Most Anticipated Movie Of 2021 Even After 56 Years Of The First Novel Release

All movie buffs know that the epic science fiction film, which is an adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert – Dune – is all set for release in 2021. The story of Dune revolves around the futuristic Duke Leto who undertakes an interstellar journey to a desert planet Dune to procure a spice that extends human life and powers beyond imagination. Featuring a stellar cast the likes of Zendaya and Timothee Chalamet, we couldn’t be more excited about this venture. What is surprising is that the story has withstood the test of time, remaining unwaveringly popular for the past five decades. Despite advances in technology and redundance of what was believed to be impossible at the time, this book is eternal and everlasting. And we’re exploring why Why Dune is the most anticipated movie of 2021 even after 56 years of the first novel release.

It’s a classic

The first reason is that it is a classic. Classics inherently have a charm that separates them from contemporary novels and gives them a life and timeline of their own. No matter what the zeitgeist of the times is, these books stay pertinent and relevant to it. They’re the literary equivalent of aging gracefully. Just like Jules Vernes’ Journey to the Centre of the Earth or HG Wells’ The Time Traveller, this book is also a sci fi classic. In fact it is considered the crown of science fiction novels.

It takes an interdisciplinary approach to science

The next reason is that the novel is interdisciplinary. Although one can clearly classify it as sci fi, it isn’t just limited to one genre. It shatters several ceilings in that it incorporates subjects like ecology, sociology, anthropology, science, politics and religion into one mindblowing story. Thus, there is something in it for every person. No matter what your choice of books is, you will find something you like about this book anyway.

The story is very well crafted

It isn’t for no reason that Dune is considered the crown jewel of sci-fi. In fact, comparisons are often made to J R R Tolkien and his level of worldbuilding. Herbert undertook a mammoth and ambitious task by writing this novel, because its scope is immense. That’s not only because it blends various disciplines together but also because the plot itself is original and complex. Herbert has not left any loose ends, loopholes or any scope for complaint in the story.

Adapting it to a film is very difficult

Various film and tv show projects have made attempts to adapt this sci fi classic onto the large screen. But most of these attempts have failed. In the earlier times, video effects and the technical art of filmmaking wasn’t advanced enough to permit the shooting of a film as gigantic as this. Secondly, there aren’t all that many dialogues in the book. The books are huge, but reliant mostly on setting and characterization to build up on the plot. The books are also quite descriptive and detailed, and all these details are crucial to the story. So condensing it into a film that’s just an hour and a half or two is difficult. Thus there is particular interest about what the director has worked with here.

It has cultural aspects but isn’t limited to them

This book was one of the earliest instances of diversity in literature. It incorporates elements of the Arabic culture, but the story isn’t dependent on the Arabic experience. This means that the book, and hence the movie, caters simultaneously to a niche and a broad audience. This lends a certain universality to the book, ensuring its appreciation by all viewers.

The director and cast increase the hype

With a stellar cast like Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac and Josh Brolin and a wonderful director like Denis Villeneuve, there’s sure to be hype. Since Denis has been working on this project for quite a while, the anticipation has skyrocketed.

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