Oscar night was a big night for Dune as the film went home with six awards, even if the majority of the Oscars were given before the official telecast began. The second time was clearly the charm when it came to a theatrical adaptation of Dune, and the two men who played Paul Atreides, Timothée Chalamet and Kyle MacLachlan, on the screen came together for a great moment during the event.
Kyle MacLachlan, who played the lead in David Lynch’s version of Dune back in 1984, caught up with Timothée Chalamet and the two got a great picture together on Oscar night, marking their Dune connection with a salute. MacLauchlan has always been supportive of the new Dune and so he probably enjoyed the film’s success on Oscar night as much as anybody.
The two Pauls crossed paths last night. Nice to see you again @RealChalamet and congratulations @dunemovie on your #Oscars success! #Dune 🐛⚔️ pic.twitter.com/SFkwqPxzIPMarch 28, 2022
David Lynch’s Dune has become a cult classic, but it was never the true science fiction classic that it was clearly trying to be. The new version of Dune, having grossed $400 million is already a much bigger hit and the successful Oscar night helps solidify that status-- even if it was only half the story.
Of course, the fact that it was only half the story was likely at least in part due to the lessons learned from David Lynch’s Dune. That production was so massive in scope that Dune has become one of the most well known production messes in cinema history. It’s possible that Denis Villeneuve's version of Dune owes much of its success to following in the footsteps of the version movie. In that case, a picture like this of the two Paul Atreides is more than just a photo opp. It’s a look at the legacy of the entire franchise.
And it’s possible that the success of the new Dune will lead some fans who have never seen the original to check it out. If you’re a fan of Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides and you’ve never seen Kyle MacLachlan’s performance in the role, then you’ve got to be at least curious about the original film. And it became a cult classic for a reason. While the previous Dune has its share of problems, it’s also got a lot worth checking out.
Dune lost out on most of the top line awards, and wasn’t nominated for any of the acting categories or Best Director. However, it still ended up taking home more awards than any other single film, as it won most of the more technical awards like Best Sound and Visual Effects as well as Cinematography and Editing. The original version of Dune was nominated for Best Sound as its only Oscar nomination. It lost to Amadeus.
Of course, all this success only ups the stakes for the inevitable sequel. Dune Part Two is on the way, having been officially given the greenlight after the success of the first film. The second movie was always going to be compared to the first when it came to things like the box office, but now the sequel will also likely contend with Dune Part One when it comes to Oscar nominations and eventual wins.
