Legendary Acquires Franchise Rights to Dune 

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Legendary Films have acquired the rights to Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi classic Dune. The company negotiated the rights to the series after coming to agreement with the Herbert estate.  

It’s not the first time that filmmakers have attempted to bring Dune to the big and small screen. There were many attempts during the 70’s but the most famous attempt to capture the majesty of the novel was David Lynch’s 1984 movie starring Kyle MacLachlan. That movie – which saw a drastic dip in quality from a usually visually arresting filmmaker – bombed at the box office. 

Then, at one point, Ridley Scott thought about bringing this wide-ranging tome to the screen. There was also a three-part TV mini-series adapted and directed by John Harrison in 2000 that starred William Hurt. 

But now, there seems to be a concerted effort to tell the story right – and that means both a multiple-film and TV series. 

The company has been looking for a franchise property, especially given their new owners, specifically Chinese-based Dalian Wanda Group Co. which spent (over-spent) $3.5 billion to acquire Legendary at the beginning of the year.

Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides whose family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, control of Arrakis is highly contested among the noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s control of Arrakis. 

Dune
A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, "Dune" tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted youn...
Release Dates
21 Oct 2021-Cinema
21 Oct 2021-HBO Max
11 Jan 2022-DVD
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