Tag: Denis Villeneuve

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Warner Bros. Bumps Release Of Denis Villeneuve’s Sci-Fi Epic ‘Dune’ To October 22

While folks will get a chance to see early screenings of Denis Villeneuve’s Dune at the Venice and Toronto film festivals, Warner Bros. has officially delayed the film’s mainstream release from October 1 to October 2. The news mentioned by Aaron Couch from The Hollywood Reporter on his Twitter account.

This release date update likely won’t make sci-fi fans like myself happy but folks need to understand that studios will continue to shift release dates over 2021. I wouldn’t be shocked if we see even more changes from Warner Bros. in the coming weeks and months.

Legendary is hoping that Dune becomes a big hit for them as they’re already developing Dune: Part Two based on the second half of the original Frank Herbert novel and an HBO Max series, Dune: The Sisterhood, is also in the works. There are six books in the original run from Frank Herbert and countless other books set within the Dune universe to pull from if Legendary wants to make a heap of sequels and shows. They have plenty of source material to work with.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, DUNE tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

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Jason Momoa Calls ‘Dune’ A “Masterpiece” & “Beautiful” After Watching The Sci-Fi Fantasy Epic With His Kids

Jason Momoa will begin shooting his Aquaman sequel Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom over the summer for director James Wan, but while speaking with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show he couldn’t help to gush about viewing his other big film, Dune, with his children. He went on to praise Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and called the film a “masterpiece.”

“It is a masterpiece, I’ve never been on something of that scope, Denis [Villeneuve] is a genius. I got to see it, it’s really cool because my kids are up here and took them to it. First time I got to see something like that with my kids, it’s very adult movie but it’s so beautiful, the cast is massive,” Jason Momoa told Jimmy Fallon.

Fallon also reiterating that Dune will indeed a hybrid release on October 1 heading to both theaters and HBO Max, an obvious note from WarnerMedia when the project was brought-up and promoted by the two.

Luckily, for Dune fans it won’t end with this single film as Denis Villeneuve is attached to return for Dune: Part Two (an adaptation of the second half of the first novel) and had been expected to helm episodes of the HBO Max series Dune: The Sisterhood.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, DUNE tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).

SOURCE: FALLON

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‘Dune’ Reportedly Releasing Exclusively In Theaters This October – Will Debut At Venice Film Festival

With Discovery and WarnerMedia’s new merger news it seems like the future of the day-and-date model is seemingly already eroding. There had been an announcement back in December that WarnerMedia would be releasing their 2021 slate in theaters and HBO Max (for a month) on the same day. This model was used for most of their films already and is expected to be used on other upcoming releases, excluding one.

Deadline is echoing previous talk that Dune would avoid the HBO Max day-and-date model and debut at the Venice Film Festival in September before it’s domestic release on October 1, heading to HBO Max on a later date.

Deadline hears that Dune, the high-profile Denis Villeneuve sci-fi remake out this fall, will not adhere to the day-and-date release pattern established for the entire 2021 slate. Instead, it will premiere in Venice in September and then enter theaters for a time before finding its way to streaming service HBO Max.

WarnerMedia seems to be refuting the report as seen with the Twitter below, causing further confusion.

It’s worth noting that the official Legendary website only lists a theatrical release for Dune in October and zero mention of HBO Max.

Legendary wasn’t notified about the day-and-date before AT&T/WarnerMedia decided to throw Godzilla Vs. Kong and Dune into that mix. There had been reports that Legendary was ready to bring a lawsuit against the distributor after they squashed a $200 million offer from Netflix for Godzilla Vs. Kong and then turned around to dump the film on streaming without a premium fee. The movies released on HBO Max does not require anything but a subscription to the service which doesn’t exactly bring any real revenue to Warner Bros. Pictures, but luckily Godzilla Vs. Kong had a great box office run when other films have been struggling before and after its’ release.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, DUNE tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Dave Bautista Says Denis Villeneuve Opened A Lot of Doors For Him By Giving Him A Role In ‘Blade Runner 2049’

Dave Bautista has reunited with director Denis Villenueve for Legendary’s Dune remake after working with the Canadian director on the visually stunning Blade Runner 2049. While speaking with Slash Film to promote his Netflix film Army of The Dead, the wrestler-turned-actor is very appreciative of Denis giving him his role in the Blade Runner sequel as it has opened many doors for him.

BAUTISTA: “[Denis Villeneuve], I always say this, and it’s something that’s really hard to convey in words, but how detailed he is in his performance. I wouldn’t have gotten nearly the love that I got from my small part in Blade Runner [2049] if he hadn’t just been all over me as far as performing. Down to the smallest details of how I walked, how I put my glasses on, how I took my glasses off. Just super up-close-and-personal and detailed. I had the most intimate conversations about putting my glasses on. [laughs] The simplest things. But that’s just the kind of director he is, man, he’s just so involved in the performance, which I loved. It was even more so on Dune. I think a lot of that was pressure that I put on myself. Because it felt different to me. Like, now he already has faith in me, he has expectations of me, so now I want to meet those expectations. So I put the pressure on myself so I can deliver for this guy. I love this guy. He’s opened the doors for me with Blade Runner, and I fought for that part, but man, that role opened a lot of doors for me. So anyway, I want to come through. I think you can find that same sentiment with every actor that works with Denis. He’s a special person and a special director, and at the end of the day, you want to hear him come out from behind that monitor and say, ‘I deeply love this.’ That’s when you know Denis is happy.“

Dave is a busy guy with the Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.3 shoot in the United Kingdom taking place at the end of the year. He’s also attached for leading roles in Paul W.S. Anderson’s In The Lost Lands and the sci-fi action film Universe’s Most Wanted.

Zack Snyder’s Army of The Dead releases this month on Netflix and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune is coming out on October 1 with a little uncertainly if it’ll stick to a hybrid release, the Legendary website doesn’t mention HBO Max.

ARMY OF THE DEAD – Following a zombie outbreak in Las Vegas, a group of mercenaries take the ultimate gamble, venturing into the quarantine zone to pull off the greatest heist ever attempted.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

SOURCE: SLASH FILM

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‘Dune’: Dave Bautista Says The World Denis Villeneuve Has Created Is Beautiful & Different – “People Are Going To Be Blown Away”

Denis Villeneuve’s Dune will tell half the story of the first novel written by Frank Herbert and a second film is expected to be made, but likely will depend on how audience react to the upcoming remake after David Lynch’s 1984 version became a historical box office bomb.

Army of The Dead’s Dave Bautista is making the press rounds and spoke to Slash Film about Denis Villeneuve’s vision for Dune as he plays the evil Glossu Rabban, alongside his impressive version for the sci-fi epic (inspired the Star Wars franchise) stating people are going to be “blown away” from they’ve done.

BAUTISTA: “[The] world that he’s created is so far over my head. It’s so beautiful and different, and a lot of times dark and strange. But it’s something I never could have imagined. I just don’t have that mind. When I think about things, and when I think about directing, it’s all very contained, based on simple stories, a lot of times very simple and inspiring stories. And for someone to see something and create a world this big, a galaxy, a universe this big, it’s something that doesn’t comprehend, doesn’t compute in my brain. But it’s weird that he can do both. [Denis Villeneuve] can create these huge epic worlds and scenes, but at the same time just focus on the most simple things about a performance. He’s just a special guy, he’s got a special focus, and man, he’s a brilliant storyteller. Dune is special. I think people are going to be blown away. It’s going to be one of the most beautiful films that people have ever seen. But I think that people who are just diehard fans of Dune, of the novels, they’re going to be blown away. Because they don’t have anything, really, to reference in relation to the books. Now they will. They’ll have that visual reference. He took these characters, he took this world, and he’s taken them off the page and put them on screen. It’s epic.”

The Legendary website states it’s still set for a theatrical roll-out on October 1, 2021, while other Warner Bros. releases are getting hybrid releases on HBO Max. There is already work on the second film and a spinoff series for HBO Max titled Dune: The Sisterhood, Legendary certainly wants to turn Dune into a major franchise.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

SOURCE: SLASH FILM

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‘Blade Runner’: Jared Leto Still Wants To Reprise Villain Niander Wallace For A Prequel Project

Back in July, Jared Leto mentioned a desire to explore Niander Wallace‘s origin when interacting with a fan. Wallace was the puppet-master villain of Blade Runnder 2049 and runs the company that has taken over Replicant production from the Tyrell Corporation.

LETO: “Maybe we can do a Niander Wallace origin story one day. Would be interesting to see where this mad man came from. He must have had some history. I have some ideas…”

Jared is still very much interested in returning to Wallace while speaking with Jake’s Takes (spotted by The Playlist) this month.

LETO: “You know, with every character I play, I don’t know if it’s because I work so intently and I tend to dig really deep and put a lot of time and energy into it, but when I’m done playing with them, done playing the parts, I do miss them a little bit. And you do all this work anyway, it would be kind of nice to go back and explore other [characters]. Like Niander Wallace in Blade Runner, I would love to play that part again as a prequel or something.”

Wallace’s fate is unknown at the end of the film has he zipped off-world in a ship to one of the many human colonies. It could be interesting to see if he had a hand in those colonies and potentially the off-world wars that have been referenced in both movies.

Leto isn’t the only mulling over the idea of a return to the Blade Runner Universe, as director Denis Villeneuve told Empire last year he’d like to make a non-sequel that is disconnected to the first two movies.

VILLENEUVE: “It’s such an inspiring place, the Blade Runner world. The problem is have is the word ‘sequel’. I think cinema needs original stories. But if you ask me if I’d like to revisit this universe in a different way, I can say yes. It would need to be a project on its own. Something disconnected from both other movies. A detective noir story set in the future… I wake up sometimes in the night dreaming about it.”

The only official continuation of the franchise that has been in the works is an anime project for Crunchyroll and Adult Swim titled Blade Runner: Black Lotus with a debut sometime in 2021.

SOURCE: JAKE’S TAKES

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Deal Nearing For ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ With Legendary Poised To Distribute In China – ‘Dune’ May Keep Theatrical Window

A new report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests that WarnerMedia and Warner Bros. Pictures may avoid an incoming lawsuit from production partner Legendary Entertainment as they’re nearing a new distribution deal for Godzilla vs Kong and possibly Dune as well.

Last year, it was announced by WarnerMedia they would be throwing the 17 feature films from their 2021 slate on HBO Max with a day-and-deal model, allowing HBO Max subscribers to view new releases exclusively on the streaming service for a month. This led to backlash as none of the filmmakers, talent or production partners like Legendary were informed about the decision in a timely manner ahead of the public announcement.

Godzilla vs Kong will keep it’s theatrical release on May 21 with Legendary handling the distribution in China, the company has Chinese ownership and makes sense they’d want to tackle the local roll-out. It also seems to be heading to HBO Max.

Legendary is still negotiating with talent on Godzilla but that is not expected to derail a deal. The movie will keep its May 21 release date in theaters, including IMAX, as well as HBO Max. Legendary will release the film in China.

Legendary along with Dune director Denis Villeneuve had voiced their opposition as the studio has reportedly sided with Denis as they rallied against WarnerMedia’s announcement. It’s pointed out the film could end up landing a theatrical window and another hiccup has been revealed as WarnerMedia may have used Dune “images” to promote HBO Max without permission from Legendary.

According to a source, conversations regarding various theatrical windowing approaches are ongoing and it remains unclear which option will be acceptable to Villeneuve. Another potential issue: It appears Warners may have been using Dune images to promote its streaming service without approval.

They also hypothesize that other filmmakers like Matrix 4 director Lana Wachowski could also demand theatrical window, like Villeneuve, that could help dissolve the day-and-date model for bigger films.

If Warners gives Dune an exclusive release, that could set a precedent allowing others, such as Matrix 4 filmmaker Lana Wachowski, to demand similar treatment. As talks continue, it is unclear whether Warner Media will be able to hold the line on its day-and-date strategy to bolster its streaming service. Wachowski is said to be adamant about an exclusive theatrical run.

SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

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‘Dune’ Rumored To Get A Traditional Theatrical Release To Avoid Lawsuit From Legendary

WarnerMedia may end up backing down thanks to the threat of lawsuit from Legendary after it was announced their pricey Dune remake was being thrown on to HBO Max (day-and-date model) without their consent or knowledge. The production company who had spent their own money on 75% of the budgets of both Dune and Godzilla vs Kong were not consulted before their films were added to the domestic streaming service putting their films in direct competition with the theatrical release.

Deadline seemingly has some sort of vague update concerning the fate of Dune, however, the outlet is making sure to use the word “rumors” when stating WarnerMedia may end up keeping the traditional theatrical release. We have to assume this would be a way to avoid further legal issues with Legendary, who certainly have the legal grounds to take them to court.

Battles big and small are being fought on numerous films: Legendary is in a big fight that might result in lawsuits after it financed 75% of tent poles Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong and was completely blindsided. Rumors have the solution to that breach being to preserve Dune as a traditional theatrical to preserve its franchise potential and since its October 1 release date falls well after the estimated late spring date when Covid vaccines should achieve herd immunity. Godzilla vs. Kong might stay an HBO Max hybrid in its May 21 slot, but only if Warner Bros makes a deal with Legendary that uses as a base the $250 million value established when the film was shopped earlier to Netflix. 

Legendary wasn’t the only party upset over the HBO Max announcement, director Denis Villeneuve penned a strongly worded editorial condemning the move. Denis happens to be producing and directing a Dune spinoff series for HBO Max titled Dune: The Sisterhood that would most likely be put into chaos over a falling-out between WarnerMedia and Legendary/Villeneuve.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”).

SOURCE: DEADLINE

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Denis Villeneuve Pens Editorial Criticizing AT&T and WarnerMedia – “Warner Bros. Might Just Have Killed The ‘Dune’ Franchise”

Following some strong worded comments from Warner Bros. darling Christopher Nolan after WarnerMedia announced they would be adding their entire 2021 film slate on HBO Mac with a day-and-date release alongside theaters, a model that is expected to become the new norm at WarnerMedia even post-pandemic.

READ MORE: ‘Dune’, ‘Godzilla vs Kong’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘Mortal Kombat’, ‘Matrix 4’, and Other WB Films Heading To HBO Max

READ MORE: Christopher Nolan Reacts Negatively To News of WarnerMedia Moving Their 2021 Film Slate To HBO Max – Upset They Didn’t Consult With Filmmakers Beforehand

There were even some signs earlier in the week that Legendary Entertainment could end up filing a lawsuit against WarnerMedia for not being consulted prior to the announcement and the industry unions are also displeased which could lead to a boycott of the company.

READ MORE: Legendary May Sue WarnerMedia Over HBO Max Announcement For ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ and ‘Dune’ – Didn’t Give Them Advance Notice

Dune director Denis Villeneuve has chosen to write an opinion editorial on Variety laying out his concerns. I selective some of the key segments which you can read below but I would advise people read the entire opinion piece in full.

Warner Bros.’ sudden reversal from being a legacy home for filmmakers to the new era of complete disregard draws a clear line for me. Filmmaking is a collaboration, reliant on the mutual trust of team work and Warner Bros. has declared they are no longer on the same team.

Streaming services are a positive and powerful addition to the movie and TV ecosystems. But I want the audience to understand that streaming alone can’t sustain the film industry as we knew it before COVID. Streaming can produce great content, but not movies of “Dune’s” scope and scale. Warner Bros.’ decision means “Dune” won’t have the chance to perform financially in order to be viable and piracy will ultimately triumph. Warner Bros. might just have killed the Dune franchise. This one is for the fans. AT&T’s John Stankey said that the streaming horse left the barn. In truth, the horse left the barn for the slaughterhouse.

Public safety comes first. Nobody argues with that. Which is why when it became apparent the winter would bring a second wave of the pandemic, I understood and supported the decision to delay Dune’s opening by almost a year. The plan was that Dune would open in theaters in October 2021, when vaccinations will be advanced and, hopefully, the virus behind us. Science tells us that everything should be back to a new normal next fall.

I’m speaking on my own behalf, though I stand in solidarity with the sixteen other filmmakers who now face the same fate. Please know I am with you and that together we are strong. The artists are the ones who create movies and series. Once the pandemic is over, theaters will be filled again with film lovers. That is my strong belief. Not because the movie industry needs it, but because we humans need cinema, as a collective experience.

Denis is rightfully upset because he’s currently working on a second film titled Dune: Part Two with screenwriter Jon Spaihts covering the second part of the original Dune novel by Frank Herbert and is producing an HBO Max series titled Dune: The Sisterhood that Denis is expected to direct. There are still five original books to adapt into feature films with even more subsequent installments from Frank’s son Brian Herbert and franchise writing partner Kevin J. Anderson.

DUNE – A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

The science fiction property was the inspiration for Star Wars as key elements were lifted by George Lucas and if given the right chance could become a global success story after the David Lynch version from 1984 become a famous flop.

SOURCE: VARIETY

Posted on in Film News

Legendary May Sue WarnerMedia Over HBO Max Announcement For ‘Godzilla vs Kong’ and ‘Dune’ – Didn’t Give Them Advance Notice

It doesn’t sound like Legendary Entertainment is terribly happy with WarnerMedia’s announcement last week to throw two of their expensive films such as Dune and Godzilla vs Kong on HBO Max as part of their new day-and-date model for the entire 2021 Warner Bros. release slate, all 17 films.

The announcement was just as shocking to Legendary Entertainment as it was to everyone else because they weren’t given advance notice or even knew it was happening. Deadline reports that Legendary is aiming to challenge the move by WarnerMedia as they never gave them advance notice before the announcement, the latter is something that both Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter have mentioned in separate reports.

I’m hearing that Legendary Entertainment either has or will send legal letters to Warner Bros as soon as today, challenging the decision to put the Denis Villenueve-directed Dune into the HBO Max deal, and maybe Godzilla vs Kong as well.

WarnerMedia blocked a hefty $250 million offer from Netflix which likely only adds to Legendary’s frustrations.

On the latter, Legendary reportedly had Netflix ready to pull the film from Warner Bros for around $250 million, before WarnerMedia blocked it. Sources said Legendary had no advance notice before last week’s announcement that both Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong were part of the HBO Max plan.

Variety also adding that this might turn into a lawsuit if a deal isn’t agreed upon.

Legendary Entertainment, the production company that co-financed Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong, may take legal action against Warner Bros. over the studio’s decision to send its movies to HBO Max at the same time they debut in cinemas.

Sources familiar with the situation say top brass at Legendary are trying to have conversations with Warner Bros. regarding its upcoming films… Legendary is hoping to first negotiate a more generous deal, but isn’t taking legal action off the table should the two companies fail to come to a compromise. One possibility is that Warner Bros. would buy the films outright from Legendary. No legal challenge has been filed yet, but a suit could materialize early this week. It’s unclear what legal grounds Legendary would use to challenge the decision, though it would likely involve some breach of contract.

While WarnerMedia dodged questions concerning if the day-and-date model would continue into 2022 and beyond, AT&T CEO John Stankey alluded to The Washington Post they won’t be going back even post-pandemic giving the impression the model is staying.

STANKEY: “In March, we unleashed a new normal in society. That horse left the barn. I don’t think any of us are going to change that dynamic.”

SOURCE: DEADLINE & VARIETY