Peter Berg no longer directing new Dune movie

30 October 2009

John Howell

According to Pajiba.com, Peter Berg is no longer directing the movie based on Frank Herbert's science fiction classic Dune. Paramount, the studio behind the new adaptation, has begun the tough search to find a replacement. According to Pajiba's contacts the search has run into two issues:

"1) they're looking for a director who can put the movie together for under $175 million, which sounds manageable, but they don't want anything resembling the crap effects of the '84 film, and 2) they want a director who already has a pre-existing passion for the novel and is enthusiastic about the project."

They report that two possibilities have been suggested: Neil Marshall and Neill Blomkamp.

Let's hope the second of these options pans out. Neill Blomkamp is the director of the recent science fiction hit District 9 (easily the best science fiction film I've seen this year) and would be a fantastic choice to adapt Dune. Neil Marshall by comparison is most famous for directing the 2005 British horror film The Descent.

Herbert wrote five sequels to his original Dune novel, and there has been one 1984 film adaptation by David Lynch and 2 miniseries produced by the SyFy Channel: Dune and Children of Dune.

While this has yet to be confirmed, it wouldn't be too surprising. From the start Peter Berg appeared to be a bad choice to direct Dune. The director of The Kingdom, Friday Night Lights and Will Smith's Handcock appears to lack the directorial subtly and depth you'd require to interpret such a complex work. Recent comments he made that he believes that Frank Herbert’s novel is “much more muscular and adventurous, more violent and possibly even a little bit more fun,” than previous interpretations, were also a bit of a worry.

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