Despite middling box-office, Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner 2049” pleased plenty, which only added to the Quebecois director’s impressive Hollywood resume thus far into his career. I’m not even counting his great French Canadian films, 2010’s “Incendies,” 2009’s “Polytechnique” and 2000’s “Maelstrom” to be precise - no, what Villeneuve has accomplished since his 2013’s Hollywood debut “Prisoners” is, quite frankly, astounding in terms of scope, ambition and technical prowess. Whether you like his movies or not, there are shades of absolute technical brilliance in “Arrival,” Sicario” and “Blade Runner 2049.” Despite screenplay lapses, they are the work of an artist that is a master at creating gloomy atmosphere.
And so, is it any surprise that yet another big studio has given Villeneuve carte-blanche to splatter whatever his art desires on the screen with his next movie? Of course not. By all accounts Villeneuve’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s “Dune” is the biggest risk of his career. Even David Lynch failed miserably with his own film adaptation back in 1984. And yet, I trust Villeneuve will do something very special with Herbert’s material. He has long been fascinated by the novel and what’s currently happening is very much a dream come true for him.
Josh Brolin was added to the cast of the upcoming adaptation today, which already includes Oscar Isaac, Timothee Chalamet, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista, Rebecca Ferguson, Charlotte Rampling and Stellan Skarsgard. Production is set to begin this spring in Budapest and Jordan.