10 Reasons Why DUNE Will Be The Pop-Cultural Phenomenon Of The Decade

The last decade was dominated by the MARVEL Cinematic Universe and Game of Thrones while the '2000s were dominated by Pokemon and Harry Potter. Here's why DUNE could do the same for the coming decade

1. The Cast

It's quite a feat to have an ensemble but you have to wonder how Warner Bros. managed to convince all these A-Listers to team up. Franchises like Star Wars and Harry Potter provided opportunities to newcomers in the industry and many of actors in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will credit their superstardom to the franchise but I doubt we've ever had a list of actors who are already established as Hollywood royalty team-up like this. DUNE's cast includes Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Charlotte Rampling. We'll have to see it to believe it.

2. The Director

He's no stranger to sections of the internet like FilmTwitter and YouTube's video essay community but there will be many who are unfamiliar with Denis Villeneuve. While that may be the case, his movies from the last decade definitely haven't gone unnoticed. The French Canadian director was at the helm of critical successes like Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Enemy, Prisoners and Incendies. This could be for Villeneuve what the Batman trilogy was for Christopher Nolan.

3. There would be no Star Wars without DUNE

It is believed by many that our favourite space opera would not have existed without DUNE. The first DUNE novel by Frank Herbet was published in 1965. It was a landmark for the science fiction genre and it's not a hard task to spot the similarities. A desert planet, convoluted family trees and a child of destiny? Sounds familiar.

4. What if I don't like sci-fi?

There's always been a great argument about the Star Wars Saga. Is it sci-fi or is it fantasy and the same argument can be made for DUNE. DUNE has houses squabbling for power, different races, characters perceived to be witches, an Emperor, political intrigue, mythical creatures and lots of lore. You might be thinking that they all sound like fantasy tropes and you're right. What DUNE doesn't have is a medieval setting. A lot of great sagas in the fantasy genre have taken place in medieval settings but that's never been a necessity. Harry Potter didn't have a medieval setting and it worked out just fine.

5. We don't have to worry about the source material

The DUNE saga is a complicated one. The first book could be read as a standalone novel as was the intention of the author. However, Herbert did go on to write 5 sequels before his untimely death. His legacy did live on thanks to his son, Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson; who went on to release 12 books themselves. What we don't have to worry about is a lack of source material to adapt onto the big screen.

6. The Long Wait

One might wonder that if it's such a great novel, why are we getting this adaptation only now. Well, there have been adaptations and plenty of them. We have the 1984 film directed by David Lynch which wasn't a commercial or critical success, unfortunately. Lynch is one of the most important filmmakers of his time but it didn't quite happen for him but it's got a cult following since. Other great directors like Ridley Scott and Alejandro Jodorowsky made an attempt but it didn't materialise. There's a 2013 documentary on Jodorowsky's vision.

7. Practical Effects

One of the accusations that a lot of movies today face is with regards to the excessive use of Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI). Villeneuve uses CGI sparingly as was the case for Blade Runner 2049, often cited as one of the most visceral films to ever be made. Most of the movie was filmed with the help of practical effects so we don't have to worry about any sort of distracting imagery when DUNE hits the theatres.

8. Our world and DUNE

No saga is ever going to be a success if we can't find some similarities to the world we live in. Herbert was an ecologist and his descriptions of DUNE's environment are as prevalent today as they've ever been. It reminds us that the planet is a living organism of its own. His novel also had Islamic and Zen undertones with a lot of references to the Middle East. The world also presents a setting where one corporation controls the entire economy.

9. Epic Battles

No saga can feel complete without an epic confrontation after all the scheming, betrayal and tension. DUNE definitely promises a few. Some of the most memorable cinematic moments in the history of genre film and television have been battles. You have the Battle of Helm's Deep and the Battle of the Bastards just to name a few. The Battle for Arrakis could well make it to that list.

10. A quotable phrase

We've had 'May the force be with you', 'Gotta catch 'em all' and 'Winter is coming'. We could be looking at a new phrase that defines a franchise and it seems like innovator extraordinaire Elon Musk is already a part of the bandwagon. It's not necessary to have one but it does help capture the imagination.

DUNE is set to release on the 18th of December and with all of this in its favour, it seems like the time has come for the wider world to immerse themselves in this sprawling epic. The trailer could drop anytime now and it has all the potential to become a decade-defining phenomenon.