Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is set to give fans an updated big-screen adaptation of the classic Frank Herbert novel, and the excitement is gradually building ahead of its release. Of course, it was safe to assume that there may be a number of people who need to brush up on the original book before sitting down to watch the film. And that could very well be the case, as the demand for Herbert’s original story is starting to grow as the film gets closer.
Brian Herbert, the son of the late author, recently shared that Dune currently tops The Washington Post’s mass market paperback bestseller list. This is quite a feat considering the novel was first published more than 50 years ago. In a social media post, Herbert expressed his joy in the fact that his father’s legacy still lives on through the book:
In addition, Brian Herbert also revealed that DUNE: The Graphic Novel, Book 1, the upcoming adaptation he co-authored has reached the Top 10 on Pulishers Weekly’s list of fall 2020 adult books. And as with the other post, he's very excited about the news:
Dune has received critical acclaim since it was first published back in 1965, with many citing it as the greatest science fiction novel of all time. When considering this, it’s not surprising that many would still be reading it or still seeking it out for the first time. Nevertheless, it’s still nice to see that the upcoming film is helping to give Frank Herbert’s epic tale even more recognition.
It’ll also be interesting to see how things pan out for Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s graphic novel. Herbert undoubtedly understands the vast world created by his father, so watching him recapture that in slightly different way should be fun to see. It’ll also serve as a nice companion piece for Denis Villeneuve’s motion picture.
Despite the level of excitement for the film, there is immense pressure to get this version right. David Lynch’s 1984 big-screen adaptation was panned by both critics and fans of the book and would go on to underperform at the box office.
Thankfully, it sounds like Villeneuve has put a lot of time and effort into crafting his two-part adaptation. This even includes spending a year trying to get one massive character in the story down pat. And of course, based on the images we’ve seen, it would appear that the director has, at the very least, nailed the aesthetic.
As Dune gets closer, you can bet there will be plenty of others who will be aiming to read the story for themselves before heading to the theater. And I honestly can’t think of a better way to honor Frank Herbert and his creative vision.
Dune is set to open in theaters on December 18.
