Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, Dune-Part Two is the sequel to the 2021 film adaptation that follows Paul Atrides forming an alliance with the Fremen along with his mother and others from House Atrides to fight back against the forces of House of Harkonnen for the control of the planet Arrakis while there is some scheming behind the scenes from political forces in the universe. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and screenplay by Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts, the film follows the second part of Herbert’s epic novel as it plays into a young man accepting his fate and role as a leader in order to free the people who had been enslaved in their own home planet. Starring Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Souhelia Yacoub, Florence Pugh, Lea Seydoux, Stellan Skarsgard, and Christopher Walken as Emperor Shaddam IV. Dune-Part Two is an astonishing and gripping film from Denis Villeneuve.
Following the fall of House Atrides on Arrakis in the hands of House of Harkonnen, the film follows the aftermath in which Paul Atrides (Timothee Chalamet) and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) join the Fremen in an act to reclaim the planet with other allies while also uncovering a conspiracy involving the Emperor Shaddam IV as well as revelations about Paul’s roles for the Fremen. It is a film that explores a young man who doesn’t just deal with loss but also a role that he is unprepared for as some see him as a messiah that would help the Fremen but the forces that oppose him become more uneasy as the Emperor as well Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) deal with what he might bring. The film’s screenplay by Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts definitely plays into Paul Atrides’ reluctance to be the messianic figure but also visions that he keeps seeing as he struggles with what might bring and such with his mother believing in this prophecy about Paul as she is also pregnant as she would rise into power of her own.
The first act plays into the Atrides being invited to the Fremen by its leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem) despite the fact that they’re outsiders yet Stilgar sees Paul as someone who could be this figure that could lead the Fremen into reclaiming control of Arrakis based on a prophecy that he believes in as Lady Jessica chooses to play into it when their ailing reverend mother is asking Jessica to replace her. Upon drinking the Water of Life, Jessica awakens her unborn daughter Alia whom she would communicate with as they decide to play into the prophecy and win over skeptics giving Stilgar more allies despite the skepticism of Chani (Zendaya) who believes that the prophecy is a lie created by religious fanatics. Still, Chani helps Paul in teaching him the way of the Fremen as they become lovers though Paul remains troubled by visions about him being this messianic figure while he helps in the rebellion against the Harkonnen who would be overwhelmed once Paul’s mentor Gurney Helleck (Josh Brolin) joins the fold having become a smuggler.
The second act serves as an introduction to the baron’s nephew Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) whom the baron would bring in to replace his older brother Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista) who had failed to keep spice production going on due to the Fremen. Feyd-Rautha is a psychotic figure that proves to be just as dangerous as both his brother and uncle as he is observed by a Bene Gesserit maiden in Lady Margot Fenring (Lea Seydoux) for the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling). It is in the second act where Gurney is re-introduced as he would learn about Paul’s actions as he joins the Fremen despite not believing in the prophecy as Paul becomes more troubled by the expectations of the Fremen just as the conflict with them and the Harkonnens intensify due to Feyd-Rautha’s new leadership. Paul would learn about the Emperor’s involvement as Princess Irulan Corrino (Florence Pugh) believes that Atrides is alive as she begins to question her father’s motives into the attack of House Atrides. It would all lead to revelations in its third act as well as a lot of political scheme and fanaticism with Chani becoming more troubled into the role that Paul has to play.
Villeneuve’s direction is grand in the way he presents this world of intergalactic conflict with a planet filled with sand as spice being the center of the universe as well as the source of this conflict. With scenes of Arrakis shot on location in Jordan and Abu Dhabi with additional scenes shot on location in Budapest, Villeneuve opens with Princess Irulan narrating about the events in her journal as she sees her father becoming troubled by what happened although the princess believes that Paul Atrides is alive. Much of Villeneuve’s direction includes a lot of wide and medium shots to play into the scope of the locations as well as maintain a sense of intimacy in scenes involving character interaction. Yet, the caverns, mountains, and cliffs do serve as major characters as it is a place where the Fremen live in hiding with a pool of water filled with the Fremen who have died. Villeneuve brings a sense of intrigue as well as the world that explore those who believe in this prophecy that Lady Jessica would exploit upon drinking the Water of Life as her unborn daughter would help play into this exploitation as she would later appear as an adult in one of Paul’s visions.
The dreams that Paul would have are these abstract and surreal visuals that showcase not just Paul’s fears of the future but also what it could be as it all plays into his reluctance into being this messiah for the Fremen. While Lady Jessica would able to get the reach of fanatical fundamentalists to support Stilgar’s cause against the Harkonnens and the emperor, Villeneuve does reveal a whole lot more as it plays into the fallacies of power with the emperor becoming someone who is losing influence on all of these houses as it becomes a source of contention he would have towards House Atrides. Villeneuve also plays into this sense of thrill as it relates to the sandworms that the Fremen are known for riding as it is something Paul would master and gain the respect of the Fremen as he would also learn how to travel towards south of the planet as it is a place that the Harkonnens couldn’t reach because of its sandstorms. Villeneuve also plays into this intrigue into the introduction of Feyd-Rautha as well as the Harkonnens’ home planet where it is shot largely in black-and-white as it is a stylistic choice but one that showcases why the baron favors him.
The film’s third act is about this eventual confrontation between the Fremen against the Harkonnens and the forces led by the emperor as the latter two would be unprepared for what they would face. Yet, there is a lot more happening as the Harkonnens meet with the emperor as there is not only this power struggle between the two but also other things that the princess would discover that would make her uneasy over this conflict. Even as the climax that involves Paul confronting his enemies as it would also lead to some uneasy compromises that would affect many as it also plays into what power corrupts and how those who engineer schemes and conspire are forced to watch their own fallacies but also face the actions of something much bigger that they unknowingly played a role in. Overall, Villeneuve crafts a riveting and astronomical film about a young man seeking revenge as well as becoming a messianic figure for a group of people in reclaiming their home planet.
Cinematographer Grieg Fraser does incredible work with the film’s cinematography from the stylish usage of black-and-white for the Feyd-Rautha fight at the Harkonnen’s home planet to the usage of sunlight for many of the exteriors and scenes in the cave along with usage of available light for some of the scenes in the morning as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Joe Walker does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish usage of jump-cuts, slow-motion, and rhythmic cuts to play into the suspense and action as well as some of the surreal montages in the film. Production designer Patrice Vermette, with supervising art director Tom Brown plus set decorators Zsuzsanna Sipos and Shane Vieu, does amazing work the look of the water pool inside the Fremen’s cave as well as the home of the fundamentalists and the design of the places at the Harkonnen home planet. Costume designer Jacqueline West does excellent work with the costumes from the ragged and sandy clothes that the Fremen wears as well as the clothes that Lady Jessica wears when she becomes a Reverend Mother for the Fremen and the clothes of Princess Irulan.
Hair/makeup/prosthetics designer Donald Mowat does fantastic work with the look of the Harkonnens in their pale-white skin as well as the makeup that Lady Jessica wears as the Reverend Mother. Special effects supervisor Gerd Nefzer and visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert do sensational work with the visual effects in the design of the sand worms in using prosthetics and CGI as well as the design of some of the weapons used in battles as well as the devices for Baron Harkonnen as he floats. Sound editor Richard King and sound designer Dave Whitehead do phenomenal work with the sound in the way some of dialogue is presented in Paul and Lady Jessica communicate in silence as well as the effects for some of the devices as well as the way the sand worms emerge as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer is tremendous for its usage of bombastic orchestral arrangements along with synthesizers and snarling guitars as it adds to the sense of chaos throughout the film that also include these wailing vocals that features work from Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance while music supervisors Peter Afterman, Deric Berberabe, Alison Litton, and Carmen Murlaner add some ambient and electronic pieces as the whole music soundtrack and score is another highlight of the film.
The casting by Francine Maisler is superb as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Roger Yuan and Babs Olusanmokun reprising their roles as two House Atrides officers who are forced to fight Feyd-Rautha as well as Souhelia Yacoub as Chani’s friend Shishakli who is also a skeptic over the prophecy, Dave Bautista in a superb role as Feyd-Rautha’s older brother Glossu Rabban who becomes overwhelmed by the Fremen attacks, and Lea Seydoux in a terrific small role as a Bene Gesserit nun in Lady Margot Fenring who seduces Feyd-Rautha in order to observe him in the hopes he can take down the Fremen. Christopher Walken is fantastic as Emperor Shaddam IV as the leader of the universe who was one of the figureheads in the attack of House Atrides as he copes with his fading leadership but also new threats as Walken is surprisingly restrained considering that the character could’ve been a bit more camp.
Charlotte Rampling is excellent as the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam who is also a mentor to Princess Irulan as well as someone who has played a key role in the attack of House Atrides as she sees Paul as major threat as well as displaying a sense of ambiguity over what is to come. Stellan Skarsgard is brilliant as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen as the head of House Harkonnen who is eager to take advantage of controlling Arrakis yet becomes troubled by the Fremen rebellion as well as who is leading them. Josh Brolin is amazing as Gurney Halleck as Paul’s mentor and former military leader for House Atrides as he had become a smuggler as he would aid Paul in this rebellion yet is not fond of this religious fanaticism but chooses to stay silent as an act of loyalty towards Paul. Javier Bardem is incredible as Stilgar as the Fremen leader who sees Paul as this messianic figure based on a prophecy as he becomes a mentor and later be someone who would gather many allies believing that it would help the Fremen.
Rebecca Ferguson is sensational as Lady Jessica Atrides as a Bene Gesserit nun who becomes a Reverend Mother for followers in Arrakis as she would help gather many followers in playing up this prophecy as she brings an ambiguity into someone that would gain power but also at the extent of her son’s well-being and humanity. Austin Butler is great as Feyd-Rautha as Baron Harkonnen’s youngest nephew who is this psychotic figure that is beloved by the people in his planet as a skilled fighter as well as someone who is eager to prove him to himself as a leader where he finds a formidable opponent in Paul as Butler definitely brings a lot of nuances to the character but also an unexpected humanity that makes him unique. Florence Pugh is tremendous as Princess Irulan Corrino as the emperor’s daughter who records in her journal over what happened at Arrakis while believing that Paul is alive as she begins to question into what had happened and why where she also questions the motives of both her father and her mentor in Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam.
Zendaya is spectacular as Chani as a Fremen rebel who is becomes Paul’s lover while is also troubled by people making him into a messiah as she is the film’s moral compass as someone who gets to know Paul as a human being but also is forced to watch him accept a role he doesn’t want but needs to play. Finally, there’s Timothee Chalamet in an astonishing performance as Paul Atrides as the son of that late Duke Leto Atrides who is eager to get revenge over what happened to his father but also learn about the ways of the Fremen. Chalamet’s performance also has a complexity of a man that becomes conflicted into the role he is asked to play where he also has to deal with surreal dreams and sacrifices where he would accept this role of rebellion but would also facing a future of immense uncertainty over what he might do.
Dune-Part Two is a magnificent film from Denis Villeneuve. Featuring a tremendous ensemble cast, ravishing visuals, a story of rebellion and the struggles of being a messiah, Hans Zimmer’s visceral score, and immense technical work. It is a film that isn’t just this great follow up to the 2021 film but also help book end the novel both films are based on as well as create a sci-fi epic that is willing to challenge audiences as well as showcase a world that is astonishing. In the end, Dune-Part Two is an outstanding film from Denis Villeneuve.
Based on the novel by Frank Herbert, Dune-Part One is the story set in the future where a noble family arrives on a planet to watch over the control of a secret mélange where a young man is thrust into a war between colonials and an evil group of invaders. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and screenplay by Villeneuve, Eric Roth, and Jon Spaihts, the film covers the first half a story of a young man who takes part in a conflict where he would lead a group of colonials in a futuristic planet carrying a mélange that changes the universe. Starring Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Charlotte Rampling, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Javier Bardem, and Stellan Skarsgard. Dune-Part One is a majestic and grand film from Denis Villeneuve.
Set in a futuristic universe in the year 10,191, the film revolves around a noble family who is asked by an emperor to watch over the harvesting of a mysterious mélange on a planet unaware that they’re being set-up by a rivaling house who had been waging war on the planet’s inhabitants. It is a film that may have a simple premise on paper but it is filled with layers on its themes on power, idealism, colonialism, and politics. The film’s screenplay by Denis Villeneuve, Eric Roth, and Jon Spaihts definitely play into a lot of the conflicts that goes on where the actions of the House of Harkkonen led by its baron (Stellan Skarskard) in going to war with the inhabitants of the planet of Arrakis in the Fremen forces its emperor to end the conflict by having the Harkkonens leave the planet and ask the House of Atrides led by Duke Leto Atrides (Oscar Isaac) to watch over the planet and its production of its resource in this mélange that makes interstellar traveling possible.
Traveling with his concubine Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and their son Paul (Timothee Chalamet) along with several officials, Duke Atrides hopes to make peace with the Fremen and continue production of the spice yet Paul, the weapons master Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin), and sword master Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) believe something is off. Especially as Idaho had been learning about the Fremen as he was able to get its chieftain in Stilgar (Javier Bardem) to have discussions with Duke Leto leading to the first steps of a peaceful resolution while planetologist Dr. Liet-Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) reveal much about the planet as she is aware that Paul is having dreams and visions that is increased by his contact with mélange. Even as Paul had been taught in the teachings of his mother who is a disciple of the Bene Gessirit sisterhood, who are powerful in both they’re physical and mental abilities, as her mentor in Gaius Helen Mohiam (Charlotte Rampling) realizes that Paul is a threat as she asks Baron Harkkonen to spare Paul and Jessica which he agrees to unaware that he plans on killing them all.
The screenplay does a lot in not just fleshing out these characters but also play into the stakes of what the House of Atrides is dealing with as they begin to ask questions about why they’re in Arrakis. Even as Paul becomes a target with some believing he is a prophet that will help the Fremen rebel against the emperor though Paul himself is unsure while a lot of the dreams he has features a young woman he would meet in Chani (Zendaya). There are also a lot of political maneuvering in the hand of the Harkkonens as they are intent on having control of the mélange in an act of greed and domination as they treat the Fremen as vermin. There is a structure to the script as it does play into the development of Paul Atrides but also in this journey of the role he has to play as he has to cope with loss as well as things he has to do for the greater good.
Villeneuve’s direction is definitely vast in its presentation as it plays into the different worlds of the universe as it has a physicality that isn’t seen often in sci-fi films. Shot on various locations in the Liwa Oasis at United Arab Emirates as parts of Arrakis along with the deserts of Jordan and Stadlandet as the House of Atrides’ home planet of Caladan plus studios in Budapest for some of the interiors including the home planet of the Harkkonens. Villeneuve maintains a world that grand where the future is this massive universe and Arrakis is at the center where Villeneuve uses a lot of wide and medium shots to capture the look of this desert world with the sand being this mélange that has mystical quality that does more than provide a resource for interstellar traveling during a scene where Duke Atrides, Paul, Gurney, and Dr. Liet-Kynes are saving harvesters where Paul gets close into contact with the mélange.
Villeneuve also uses close-ups to play into Paul’s interaction with the mélange as well as the dreams he have that often feature Chani as well as images possibly relating to future events and such. There is a physicality to Villeneuve’s presentation in the dragonfly-planes that the House of Atrides uses as well as other spaceships along with some of the designs of the sandworms who move around the desert. Villeneuve emphasizes more on this air of physicality as well as the presentation of other planets including a planet where the emperor’s soldiers as it this desolate and rainy world while the Harkkonens’ home planet is just as dark in comparison to the desert beauty of Arrakis. Even in the film’s second act where Paul and Lady Jessica hide from the Harkkonens and the emperor’s army with the aid of Dr. Liet-Kynes and Idaho, there is this air of realism into the locations and places where Villeneuve’s usage of tracking shots play into the suspense.
Villeneuve also play up into this world of politics such as scene of Duke Atrides being confronted by Baron Harkkonen as the compositions that Villeneuve create is filled with this dramatic tension while the third act plays into the aftermath of the threat that is Paul Atrides. Notably as Atrides and Lady Jessica deal with the world they’re in but also revelations about why their house was sent to Arrakis. The final moments of the film is more of setting up of what is to come since the film basically sets up a lot of what happens in the first half of the book. Yet, Villeneuve is able to do more than just establish the world and these characters but also the stakes itself in what Paul has to do for Arrakis and the universe itself. Overall, Villeneuve crafts a ravishing yet intoxicating film about a young man taking his steps into finding himself amidst a troubling intergalactic conflict on a repressed planet.
Cinematographer Greig Fraser does incredible work with the film’s cinematography in its emphasis on natural lighting for many of the daytime exterior scenes on Arrakis along with some of its interior scenes in the caves and tunnels along with the usage of low-key lighting for some of the interior/exterior scenes at night as it is a highlight of the film. Editor Joe Walker does excellent work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into some of the action and drama while also knowing when to have shots linger for a bit to play up the suspense. Production designer Patrice Vermette, with supervising art director Tom Brown and senior art director Karl Probert plus set decorators Richard Roberts and Zsuzsanna Sipos, does phenomenal work with the look of the city and spice refinery on Arrakis as well as the space ships and the way the home of the Harkkonens look as it play into their personality. Costume designers Bob Morgan and Jacqueline West do amazing work with the design of the refined suits of the House of Atrides as well as the gowns of the Bene Gessirit and the clothes of the Harkkonens.
Hair/makeup/prosthetics makeup designer Donald Mowat does brilliant work with some of the prosthetics that include some of the makeup of the characters such as Gaius Helen Mohiam and some of the Harkkonens including Baron Harkkonen in his obese yet larger-than-life persona. Special effects supervisor Gerd Nefzer and visual effects supervisor Paul Lambert do superb work with the effects from the usage of prosthetics in the look of some of the space ships along with digital effects into the look of the giant sand worms including the detail in its mouth. Sound editors Theo Green and Mark A. Mangini do tremendous work with the sound as it adds to the film’s atmosphere in the way the sand worms emerge along with the thumpers to attract their attention as well as the way the space ships and such sound as it is a highlight of the film. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer is sensational for its bombastic score that features elements of bass-heavy electronics and orchestral bits along with vocal choirs and such, with vocal contributions from Lisa Gerrard of Dead Can Dance, to play into the scale of the film as it is a highlight while music supervisors Peter Afterman and Alison Litton cultivate a soundtrack that features some folk-like pieces and other electronic pieces to play into the world that the characters are in.
The casting by Jina Jay and Francine Maisler is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles from Roger Yuan as Gurney’s right-hand man Lt. Lanville, Golda Rosheuvel as the Fremen maid Shadout Mapes who assists Lady Jessica in Arrakis, Benjamin Clementine as an imperial delegate who brings an order to Duke Atrides early in the film, Babs Olusanmokun as a Fremen in Jamis who challenges Paul’s allegiance late in the film, Chang Chen as Suk physician Dr. Wellington Yueh who works for the House of Atrides as he is a man dealing with conflict of his own, David Dastmalchian as the Harkkonen official who aids in political dealings and matters of torture, Stephen McKinley Henderson as the House of Atrides’ official Thufir Hawat who also deals in political matters and the handling of security, and Zendaya in a fantastic small role as the Fremen Chani who appears in Paul’s dreams as a symbol of hope as well as someone who is part of a rebellion against the Harkkonens and the emperor. Dave Bautista is superb as Baron Harkkonen’s brutish nephew Glossu Rabban as a figure who kills people and does whatever his uncle asks him to while also realizing the big threat this is Paul Atrides.
Javier Bardem is terrific as the Fremen chieftain Stilgar as a man who is suspicious of the House of Atrides’ arrival only to realize their motives as he would play a bigger role late in the film. Sharon Brewster-Duncan is excellent as Dr. Liet-Kynes in a role that was originally as a man where Brewster-Duncan brings a lot of gravitas and charisma to the role as a planetologist who works for the emperor yet realizes that something isn’t right where she would help out the House of Atrides as she knows a lot about life on Arrakis. Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin are amazing in their respective roles as Paul’s mentors in the sword master Duncan Idaho and the weapons master Gurney Halleck as two men who teach Paul on the ideas of combat with Momoa as someone who got to know the Fremen as he is also aware that something is off while Brolin’s performance as Gurney is more reserved as someone who isn’t as trusting as Idaho but is loyal to the House of Atrides. Charlotte Rampling is brilliant in her small role as Gaius Helen Mohiam as the Bene Gessirit Reverend Mother who tests Paul on his skills and realizes that he is powerful where she sees him as a threat.
Stellan Skarsgard is incredible as Baron Vladimir Harkkonen as this evil and greedy figure who is obese and creepy in his look while displays a chilling tone to his character as someone that wants it all and to destroy everyone in his path. Oscar Isaac is remarkable as Duke Leto Atrides as the head of House of Atrides who is hoping to bring peace and prosperity to Arrakis while learning that he’s become a political target where he copes with not just the expectations for his son but also the fate of his family. Rebecca Ferguson is phenomenal as Lady Jessica as Duke Atrides’ concubine and a Bene Gessirit priestess who taught Paul special vocal powers as she deals with her role as a Bene Gessirit but also the big role that Paul might have to play. Finally, there’s Timothee Chalamet in a tremendous performance as Paul Atrides as the son of Duke Atrides who is a young man trying to learn about the universe as he has visions that could be about the future while dealing with the role he has to play where Chalamet brings a lot of that air of uncertainty but also someone who knows he has to grow as it is a career-defining performance for Chalamet.
Dune-Part One is a magnificent film from Denis Villeneuve. Featuring an incredible ensemble cast, rapturous visuals, astonishing set pieces, its emphasis on themes of politics and colonialism, and Hans Zimmer’s phenomenal score. The film is definitely a grand piece of art that doesn’t just live up to the vision of Frank Herbert but also be a sci-fi film that does a lot more than just be action in favor of characters, motivations, and the stakes. In the end, Dune-Part One is an outstanding film from Denis Villeneuve.
Among the few filmmakers currently working in Hollywood that is making the kind of films they wouldn’t make, Denis Villeneuve has a unique place in cinema right now with his mixture of intense drama and surrealism as well as a fascination with the idea of death. While he started out slowly through a series of shorts and films in his native Canada that played to a limited audience. He would later emerge as an unlikely visionary for big studios despite the many risks he would take to get films made despite their lack of major commercial appeal. Even as he is about to embark on tackling an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel Dune in the hopes that he can bring something new to that story.
Born on October 3, 1967 in Becancour in the region of Quebec in Canada, Denis Villeneuve was the son of Nicole Demers and Jean Villeneuve where they lived in the French-speaking region of Quebec as Denis would later gain a younger brother 11 years in Martin who would also become a filmmaker and a graphic novelist. Villeneuve in his teens would attend the Seminaire Saint-Joseph de Trois-Rivieres private school and later the Universite du Quebec a Montreal where he became interested in the world of film. In the early 1990s, Villeneuve took part in Radio-Canada’s youth competition in film where he would win a prize through a student film he made in La Course Destination Monde.
REW-FFWD/Cosmos-Le Technetium segment
In 1994, Villeneuve made a short film about a photographer who goes to Jamaica for an assignment where he gets to know the culture in the area known as Trenchtown as he thinks about what his boss wants as it play into the many troubling stereotypes of what is to expect from Jamaica. The short is told in a non-linear style as it relates to ideas of flashbacks and flash-forwards where the protagonist is never seen where Villeneuve chooses to shoot everything from the character’s perspective. The short would garner lots of attention from producers in Canada as they wanted Villeneuve to take part in a project that would be a sequel to the 1991 anthology film Montreal vu par… (Montreal Stories) that featured short films by such revered Canadian filmmakers like Atom Egoyan and Denys Arcand. For its follow-up, Villeneuve would be one of six emerging filmmakers to take part in the project.
The film entitled Cosmos would each feature six segments that would involve a Greek immigrant cab driver in Montreal who would meet six different characters as they live their lives in the city. Among these stories include the work of a serial killer who is about to make his next move while other stories involve a lawyer trying to get back with her ex-boyfriend, a young woman hanging out with a gay friend as he awaits the results of an AIDS test, the cab driver and another man trying to find a stolen cab, and a young woman who celebrates her 20th birthday with an older man. Villeneuve’s segment involves a filmmaker who is about to appear on an edgy TV talk show as he becomes anxious over promoting his new film. The film would utilize a crisscross narrative of sorts that would play into the events of a day through these six different stories as Villeneuve’s segment play into the absurdity of 1990s TV talk shows in their attempts to be edgy and cool.
The film was released in November of 1996 in Canada where it got a good critical reception as it was chosen to represent Canada at the upcoming Oscars in the hopes it would get a Best Foreign Film Nomination. The film didn’t garner the Oscar nod though it would be nominated a year later at the Genie Awards for Best Picture in which it lost to Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter.
August 32nd on Earth
Through his connection with producer Roger Frappier who produced Cosmos, Villeneuve was given the chance to make his first feature-length film with Frappier’s full support as it would revolve around a woman whose near-death experience forces her to make some drastic decisions in her life. The film would play into not just Villeneuve’s fascination with death but also the need to not show everything as it would be set in a strange world that has expanded months as it’s set partially in Montreal as well as Salt Lake City. With Villeneuve writing the film from his own screenplay, he would get the service of cinematographer Andre Turpin who also shot Villeneuve’s segment from Cosmos and directed his own piece while Villeneuve also got Alexis Martin to play the male lead in the film as he also appeared in Cosmos.
For the female lead role, French-Canadian actress Pascale Bussieres was cast in the lead role of Simone Prevost as the woman who survived a car accident. The film would be shot on location in Montreal as it would be a location that Villeneuve would shoot many of his films for much of his early parts of his career. With Turpin being an early collaborator of Villeneuve for this film and a few more to follow, Villeneuve aimed for a naturalistic yet colorful look for the film as it play into this sense of unknown. Villeneuve would shoot much of the film’s second half in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Bonneville Salt Flat as well as the city’s airport. Villeneuve’s usage of wide shots that would become a common framing device that he would utilize for his career would show a lot into the environment the characters are in which would include a hilarious futuristic room made by the Japanese.
The film premiered in May of 1998 at the Cannes Film Festival in France where it played at the Un Certain Regarde section where it got good reviews. The film’s release in Canada later that November where it was well-received as it would be Canada’s selection to be nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars yet it wouldn’t make the final cut of nominees. The film would give Smith the Prix Jutra for Best Actor from the Quebec film industry as it would help bring visibility to Villeneuve.
Maelstrom
Gaining some clout from his debut film, Villeneuve wanted to push his limits further by making another film that revolves on a car accident as it’s more about the idea of guilt, anguish, and fate. Yet, Villeneuve also wanted to include elements of surrealism into his work as it would deviate from many of the conventional aspects of romantic dramas. Even as the film would revolve around a woman who unravels following an abortion as she struggles to overcome her addiction to drugs and alcohol where she accidentally hits a man with her car only for that man to die days later at his home. It was an idea that Villeneuve thought about during the making of his first film but discarded it feeling it didn’t fit with the narrative as it would turn into another story. While eating at a seafood place in Montreal, Villeneuve got inspiration through a bad bout of food poisoning after eating some bad trout that gave him the idea of a fish to tell the story of what is happening to this woman and her eventually affair with a man whose father she accidentally killed.
The project would once again be set almost entirely in Montreal as Villeneuve gathered cinematographer Andre Turpin on board to shoot the film while the casting would include the emerging French-Canadian actress Marie-Josee Croze in the lead role of Bibiane Champagne. Villeneuve would get veteran actor Pierre Lebeau to do the voice of the fish narrator as it would be used with animatronics. TV actor Jean-Nicholas Verrault would play the role of Evian who is the son of the man Bibiane accidentally killed with Stephanie Morgenstern played the part of Bibiane’s best friend Claire. Shooting began in September of 1999 in a two-month shoot as it would explore a woman’s grief and guilt where Villeneuve would also show something that is happening but not the whole picture as it would be a method he would use for much of his narrative in future films to come.
The film would also have Villeneuve take risks visually in terms of Turpin’s cinematography as well as emphasizing on offbeat music choices like he did in his previous films. For a film that is bleak, the usage of Good Morning Starshine from the musical Hair would be another of Villeneuve’s trademarks to create something that is weird for some of the film’s bleakest moments. Yet, it also showcases a filmmaker also wanting to create a sense of intrigue as the appearances of fish is prevalent throughout the film. Even in a scene where Bibiane and Claire eat rotten octopus as they wonder why it tastes so bad where Villeneuve showcase different perspectives as it all relates to the narrative at hand.
The film made its premiere in late August of 2000 at the Montreal World Film Festival that weeks later at the Toronto Film Festival in its Perspective Canada section. The film would receive excellent reviews as well as being a hit in various film festivals. The film would also garner accolades winning five Genies for Best Film, Best Actress for Croze, Turpin’s cinematography, and two awards for Villeneuve for his screenplay and direction. In early 2001, the film made its U.S. premiere at the Sundance Film Festival that January followed by an appearance at the Berlin Film Festival a month later where it won the festival’s FIPRESCI prize. Despite its acclaim and success, Villeneuve wasn’t happy with the outcome of the film as he chose to go on a sabbatical from filmmaker just as his family life was to emerge.
120 Seconds to Get Elected/Next Floor
During what was to be a nine-year break from feature films, Villeneuve would spend that period trying to figure out what he wanted to do in the world of film. On this sabbatical from filmmaker, Villeneuve decided to craft a series of experimental short films to express his need to do something new. The first of these shorts would have Alexis Martin play a politician speaking behind a blank white wall to superimposed stock footage of crowds as if he’s spouting ideas that would get him elected. The two-minute short would showcase not just Villeneuve’s penchant for surrealism but also some of the absurdity and realism that play into the fallacy of politics and what politicians will do to get elected even through ideas of Fascism.
Next Floor from Centre Phi | Phi Centre on Vimeo. In 2008 during a break for what was to become his next feature film, Villeneuve teamed up with screenwriter Jacques Davidts in creating a short film that expressed his idea of gluttony and human consumerism. Teaming up with cinematographer Nicolas Bolduc and film editor Sophie LeBlond for the short, it would be about a group of servants who are serving a group of posh people who are eating a banquet of meat that becomes excessive. The eleven-minute short would be a mixture of dramatic horror with elements of offbeat humor as it would have this element of repetition into what happens to the people that are eating the food. The short made its premiere at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival as part of its International Critics Week short film section as it won the Canal+ short film prize as it would continue to be a hit at film festivals giving Villeneuve some newfound confidence following a period away from films.
Polytechnique
Following this hiatus period from filmmaking, Villeneuve was asked by French-Canadian actress Karine Vanasse if he was interested in making a film about the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre as she had wanted to make a film about the massacre for years. While there was uncertainty on whether or not audiences were ready for a film about the massacre that featured the death of 14 women and raised questions on violence against women and gun control in Canada. Villeneuve agreed to take part on the project as it relates to his fascination with death but also the sense of immediacy as he teamed up with screenwriter Jacques Davidts who would write the script with Villeneuve and Eric Leca on ideas to tell this story.
Aware that a dramatization of the massacre wouldn’t be entirely accurate as well as the idea of shooting the film on the actual Ecole Polytechnique wouldn’t be a good idea despite the school allowing Villeneuve to shoot on the location. Villeneuve instead chose to shoot the film at two different schools in College Ahuntsic and College de Maisonneuve with cinematographer Pierre Gill on board for the production. Vanasse would play one of the survivors for the film as the cast would include other French-Canadian actors in Sebastien Huberdeau, Evelyne Brochu, Johanne-Marie Tremblay, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, and Maxim Gaudette as a fictionalized take of the gunman Marc Lepine who name in the film isn’t mentioned. Wanting to avoid many of the visual conventions of films based on real-life events while being aware that the film would be compared to Gus Van Sant’s 2003 film Elephant which was based on the 1999 Columbine school shootings. Villeneuve and Gill agreed to shoot the film in black-and-white film stock in order to create something that was striking but also maintain that graphic idea of the film’s violence.
Utilizing hand-held cameras for some of the film’s violent moments as well as dolly-tracking shots in order to get an idea of the fear from students as they run from the violence. On the locations at the schools where the film would be set, Villeneuve would use wide shots to get a scope of the main halls as well as something haunting when these hallways, lunch room halls, and such become empty in the aftermath of the violence. Villeneuve also wanted to make the film be about not just the massacre but also study the idea of guilt as it relates to a couple of survivors of the massacre and how they dealt with loss afterwards. Even as Villeneuve wanted to get an idea from the perspective of the gunman that includes the classroom scene which is presented from his perspective and the perspective of a survivor.
Before the film’s theatrical release in February of 2009 in Quebec followed by a limited release for the rest of Canada a month later with two different versions with his preferred release in French and a more general version in English. Villeneuve chose to screen the film for families of the victims as he was given their blessing for its release. While the film did draw rave reviews all over Canada, it did raise controversy over its depiction of violence yet it was successful in Quebec and did modestly well in Canada despite its limited release. Later that May, the film played at the Cannes Film Festival as part of the Director’s Fortnight as it was well-received from various film festivals in Europe. The film’s U.S. release came two years later as it was also well-received despite comparisons to Elephant as the film would help raise Villeneuve’s profile following his long hiatus from filmmaking.
Incendies
With the clout he’s been given from his last film, Villeneuve went ahead to resurrect an idea he had during his hiatus when he saw Wajda Mouawad’s play about Canadian twins who travel to the Middle East following their mother’s death in the search of the identity of their father. Villeneuve was transfixed by the play as he spent years writing the screenplay with collaborator Valerie Beaugrand-Champagne while wanting input from Mouawad who was reluctant about having his play adapted into a film. While Mouawad’s play was based on events during the Lebanese Civil War, Villeneuve agreed to set the film in an unnamed Middle Eastern country as it played into adult twins learning about their mother’s past and all of its complexities. Even as it’s a film with a narrative that is told from the perspective of their mother and moves back to the twin children as they try to uncover so much of who their mother is as well as the identity of their father.
Reuniting with cinematographer Andre Turpin as they last worked together on Maelstrom, the film would be set largely in Montreal with additional shooting set in Jordan. For the lead role of Nawal, Moroccan-Belgian actress Lubna Azabal was cast while Maxim Gaudette and Melissa Desmormeaux-Poulin were cast as her twin adult children with Azabal using makeup to play an older version of herself. Remy Girard was cast as a notary as the production began in late 2009 with a $6.5 million budget as it was to be Villeneuve’s most expensive film to date on a 40-day shoot as 15 of the shooting days were set in Jordan.
For the scenes set in Jordan, Villeneuve and Turpin used a crew from both Lebanon and Iraq as a way to get a perspective of what it was like at the Lebanese Civil War as it include scenes of conflict relating to Nawal as she saw Christian nationalists kill Muslim women. Villeneuve would also include a rape scene that has Nawal being raped but the identity of her rapist is not revealed as it adds the intrigue and ambiguity that Villeneuve wanted. Even as he plays into the concept of less is more which was a method that he had been wanting to do much of his filmmaking as the unveiled identity of the twin children’s father isn’t just a punch to the gut but also raises more questions than answers.
The film made its premiere on September 2010 through various film festivals such as Telluride in Colorado as well as Venice and Toronto as it received rave reviews from audiences and critics. Following the film’s release in Canada where it made $4 million which was considered a success by Canadian box office standards, the film would be Canada’s submission for the Best Foreign Language film at the Oscars as it the film would get a nomination as well as a subsequent U.S. release in 2011 through Sony Picture Classics where the film would win the runner-up prize as Best Foreign Language Film from the New York Film Critics Circle. The film would gross more than $6 million in the U.S. with a total worldwide gross of over $16 million giving Villeneuve his first major commercial success.
Rated R for Nudity/Etude empirique sur l’influence du son sur la persistence retinienne
Shortly after the release of Incendies, Villeneuve took a break between projects as he decided to take part on a couple of experimental short films in 2011. The first of which was a three-minute short that has Villeneuve create an idea based on hypnosis and psychology where he just plastered words on a screen. The short was with a warning for those who suffer from epilepsy as it play into Villeneuve’s fondness for the abstract. The second short film he made that year was a one-minute short that also played with images as it was similar to its predecessor but with the sound of a punk band playing to blaring images.
Following a brief break from films in which Villeneuve was starting work on another film project in Canada, he was approached by producers about helming a project based on Aaron Guzikowski’s short story about the abduction of two girls and the search for the two girls from one of the fathers and a detective. Guzikowski would turn the short story into a full-length script that attracted many people including actors Christian Bale and Leonardo DiCaprio as well as filmmakers Antoine Fuqua and Bryan Singer. Yet, it was actor Mark Wahlberg who got it off the ground as a producer as other producers were able to contact Villeneuve on the project. Although Villeneuve was already filming another project, he eventually said yes to the film as the project would mark his first collaboration with the famed British cinematographer Roger Deakins who was famous largely for his collaboration with the Coen Brothers.
Villeneuve gave Guzikowski’s script to actor Jake Gyllenhaal whom Villeneuve was working with as Gyllenhaal agreed to play the role of Detective Loki. The film would also be Villeneuve’s first film with an American studio where he would also get the services of film editors Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach who were both known for their collaboration with Clint Eastwood as the film would also mark another first for Villeneuve in getting the service of music composer Johann Johansson. The film’s cast would include Hugh Jackman, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Viola Davis, Paul Dano, and Melissa Leo as production began in the state of Georgia in February of 2013. Villeneuve wanted to maintain that air of intrigue in not just the visuals but also play into the complexities of the mystery.
One aspect of the script that intrigued Villeneuve is the diverging paths between Detective Loki and Hugh Jackman’s character of Keller Dover in their search for the latter’s daughter and another young girl. Both of which involve ideas of obsession and determination as Detective Loki is a man that is more focused on this case where he would make some unsettling discoveries relating to abductions in this small town he lives in. Dover would become a man lost in his obsession as he suspects a young man whom he believed had abducted his daughter where he would torture him for information leading to all sorts of trouble.
The film made its premiere in late August of 2013 at the Telluride Film Festival where it was well-received as it was followed by more festival appearances before getting its general release in U.S. theaters less than a month later. The film would gross more than $122 million against its $46 million budget giving Villeneuve some major clout commercially while the film would also get great notices from critics though there were some who felt the film was too conventional in terms of its suspense. Still, the film did gain an Oscar nomination for Deakins’ cinematography as well as some accolades including a prize for its ensemble cast from the National Board of Review who also put the film in the top-10 list of best films of 2013.
Enemy
Before Villeneuve was to embark on Prisoners, he was already developing a project that was to be based on Jose Saramago’s novel The Double as it revolves around a college professor who learns that there’s an actor who looks exactly like him as he wants to know who he is. Villeneuve was interested in the project due to its idea of identity and intrigue as he asked screenwriter Javier Gullon to create a script as it would contain elements of surrealism where Villeneuve would shoot the film at Toronto. Notably as Villeneuve wanted to include the images of spiders into the film based on Louise Bourgeois’ sculpture Maman at the city of Ottawa as they would appear in some form throughout the film.
For the casting, Villeneuve chose Jake Gyllenhaal to play the role of the college professor Adam Bell and his double in the actor Anthony Claire while French actress Melanie Laurent would play Bell’s girlfriend and Canadian actress Sarah Gadon as Claire’s pregnant wife. Isabella Rossellini would have a small role as Bell’s mother as production began in late May 2012 with cinematographer Nicolas Bolduc shooting the film. Villeneuve would maintain something straightforward in terms of some of the dramatic elements but also wanted to play into the idea of duality on a visual sense as it play into these clashing personalities of Bell and Claire with a gigantic version of Bourgeois’ sculpture walking on top of Toronto. Spiders would become a recurring image that appears throughout the film such as an opening scene as Villeneuve and Gullon wanted to maintain that idea of surrealistic symbolism into the personalities of the protagonists.
The sense of ambiguity also play into what Villeneuve wants such as the scene of Bell meeting his mother and asking questions yet he ends up getting no answers as it adds more intrigue. Even as Bell sees Claire’s wife where he wonders about her as it leads to the more arrogant Claire to try and ruin Bell’s life. Especially in Claire’s need to control lives and the fates of those around him and in Bell’s life where it sort of play into the nature of the spider whenever they feel threatened. Even as Villeneuve would use the symbol of the spider to create this air of mystery that includes the film’s ending as it relates to the spider.
Following a small shooting schedule and a break from the post-production to shoot Prisoners, Villeneuve premiered the film at the 2013 Toronto Film Festival that September where Prisoners was also screened. The film drew excellent reviews in its festival release before getting its theatrical release in Canada in March of 2014 that was also released in Spain weeks later as the film was a co-production of Canadian and Spain production companies. Following the film’s U.S. release a few months later through the A24 film company, the film would be given a limited release yet would draw rave reviews though some critics were confounded by the film’s surrealistic elements.
Sicario
Following the theatrical release of Prisoners in late 2013 while finding a distributor for Enemy, Villeneuve was offered the chance to helm a long-gestating project in development from screenwriter Taylor Sheridan about the U.S. and their war on drugs. Villeneuve agreed to take part of the film as he brought along cinematographer Roger Deakins and music composer Johann Johansson on board for the production. Villeneuve also worked with closely with Sheridan on developing the story as it would revolve around a young FBI agent who works with a government task force to take down a drug cartel as she deals with the dangers of her new job.
British actress Emily Blunt joined the cast in April of 2014 in the lead role of the FBI agent Kate Mercer while Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Daniel Kaluuya, Jeffrey Donovan, and Victor Garber took part in the film’s ensemble cast with the help of casting director Francine Maisler who would become part of Villeneuve’s recurring group of collaborators. The production would be set mainly in Albuquerque, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas as well as nearby locations in those cities as well as locations in Mexico to get an air of realism into the heaviness that is the war on drugs from the U.S. and Mexico’s troubling involvement. Shooting began in June 2014 as Villeneuve and Deakins aimed for a naturalistic approach for the look of the film that include some scenes in the deserts as well as in some of the film’s real locations in Mexico.
The film was given a $30 million budget as it was to be Villeneuve’s most expensive film to date with Lionsgate being the film’s distributor as the backing of a major studio and its modest budget would give Villeneuve the chance to showcase this world of conflict relating to drug cartels. Especially as the character of Mercer who is an idealist is forced to realize the dark aspects of the drug war and the U.S. government’s involvement with those having a more personal interest in this conflict. Particularly as the film’s title means hitman in Spanish as it relates to the character that del Toro plays as someone who knows what has to be done yet is also aware that Mercer is in a world that is extremely cynical and violent as he understands her issues with these methods.
The film premiered in May of 2015 at the Cannes Film Festival where it played in competition for the Palme d’Or as it got rave reviews that would follow during the film’s run at film festivals including its Canadian premiere that September at the Toronto Film Festival. The film was later given a limited U.S. release later that month as it went wide a month later grossing nearly $47 million in the U.S. box office with a worldwide gross of nearly $85 million. The film would also be a hit with critics as it would receive three Oscar nominations for Deakins’ cinematography, Johansson’s score, and Alan Robert Murray’s sound editing.
Arrival
With a couple of films being commercial successes as well as being a favorite with film critics and film buffs alike, Villeneuve would use this clout to getting attached to any project he wanted to be in. Given his love for sci-fi, Villeneuve wanted to make a film in that genre yet he had been unable to find the right idea until producers brought him Eric Heisserer’s script which was based on Ted Chiang’s short story in Story of Your Life. The script had been through development hell for years as Villeneuve read this story about a linguist who is asked by U.S. military officials to communicate with aliens who had arrived on Earth with the help of others who want to know why the aliens are here. The story itself was complex as Villeneuve was on board with Heisserer’s script also wanting to use ideas of linguistics and physics theories to be important to the film for the characters to find a way to communicate with the aliens. Villeneuve asked production designer Patrice Vermette whose wife Martine Bertrand was knowledgeable with linguistics as they got her help for the film as well as several others including Jessica Coon from the Canada Research Chair.
For the casting, Francine Maisler got Amy Adams for the lead role of Louise Banks while the ensemble would include Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Tzi Ma. With cinematographer Roger Deakins unavailable to shoot the film, Bradford Young was given the task to shoot the film as he and Villeneuve worked on ideas for the visuals as shooting began in June 2015 as it was mainly set in Montreal with scenes set in the mountains and fields of the nearby town of St. Fabien-sur-Mer as Montana. Villeneuve wanted to maintain an air of melancholia for the scenes set outside of the alien spaceship as it play into Banks’ own sense of loss as well as the usage of time where Villeneuve and Heisserer wanted to create the idea of flashbacks as it played into Banks’ desire to find some common ground with these aliens with Renner’s Ian Donnelly helping her as well as be a bit of the film’s comic relief.
The scenes set inside the spaceship had a more dream-like yet mysterious look as Villeneuve didn’t want to really show the look of the aliens initially in order to create more intrigue. Especially as Banks and Donnelly would have no clue on what they look like other than communicating through some form of linguistics and languages despite the apprehension of others including a few countries who believe the aliens are hostile as well as individuals who listen to some form of propaganda that would cause trouble. With composer Johann Johansson creating music loops and textures to play up the drama, Villeneuve would also use the idea of time in the drama as it relate to what Banks is trying to find and unleash this idea of hope for a world that can come together through the gift that these aliens want to bring.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in early September of 2016 to great acclaim with Villeneuve receiving the Future Film Festival Digital Award as it would become a festival hit before its theatrical release from Paramount in November. The film would be Villeneuve’s biggest success to date critically and commercially grossing more than $200 million against its $47 million budget while it would receive eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture and a Best Director nod for Villeneuve while the film would win an Oscar for Sylvain Bellemare’s sound editing.
Blade Runner 2049
When news emerged in 2011 about the possible idea for a sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi film Blade Runner, there a mixture of excitement and apprehension over the idea of a sequel as it went into development with Scott possibly taking on the role of directing the sequel as well as being a producer of the film. The next few years of developing the project as well as trying to get Harrison Ford to reprise his role as Rick Deckard was becoming difficult despite the work on the script by Hampton Fancher and Michael Green that was based on a story from the former who had also co-wrote the script of the original film with David Peoples. During its development as Scott was already doing other films, he decided to step down from the director’s chair while remaining on board as a producer. After search for getting a filmmaker on board, Villeneuve officially signed on for the project in February of 2015 just as he was finishing up work on Sicario and preparing work on Arrival.
Villeneuve’s involvement would bring in Ryan Gosling in the role of the replicant cop K as Villeneuve brought in cinematographer Roger Deakins, casting director Francine Maisler, and composer Johann Johansson for the project. With plans for a 2018 release at the latest, Villeneuve spent years working with Fancher and Green on the script as well as the casting as he was hoping to get David Bowie in the role of the antagonist Niander Wallace but that all changed following Bowie’s death in January of 2016 as the role eventually went to Jared Leto. The cast would expand to include Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Ana de Armas, Carla Juri Hiam Abbass, David Dastmalchian, Barkhad Abdi, Dave Bautista, Sylvia Hoeks, and appearances from Edward James Olmos and Sean Young reprising their roles from the original film.
Production finally began in July of 2016 in studios at Budapest with a budget ranging from $150 million to $185 million which was to be the most expensive film that Villeneuve would make. The film would revolve around a replicant police officer who would make a major discovery that may spell the end of humanity as he tries to find Rick Deckard for answers. Villeneuve’s fascination for mystery and intrigue is what would appeal to making the film as he would use the futuristic setting that play into K’s desire for answers as well as wondering if replicants like him can be just as human as other human beings. It also play into existential ideas as well as loss and memory that would intensify as the story progresses. During the film’s post-production in 2017 after a five-month shoot, Villeneuve and Johansson parted ways due to the latter’s score as Villeneuve felt it wasn’t right as he wanted something closer to what Vangelis did with the original. Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer came in July of 2017 to create a score with elements of Vangelis’ original score.
The film made its premiere in October of 2017 where it drew rave reviews upon its release with many critics praising the film’s visuals, mystery, and action. While it was well-received by critics and fans of the original film, the film didn’t do well commercially despite making nearly $260 million worldwide at the box office yet some felt it needed to make $400 million to break even. Despite its mediocre commercial reception as well as complaints from audiences for being too long, the film was still considered one of 2017’s best films as it would receive five Oscar nominations for its art direction, sound mixing, and sound editing while winning two Oscar for its visual effects and for Roger Deakins’ cinematography as many felt the win for Deakins was overdue.
Dune
