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Taken's Pierre Morel Hired to Direct the New Dune Adaptation

by Alex Billington
January 4, 2010
Source: EW.com

Oh hell yes! EW has just announced that Paramount has hired French director Pierre Morel, of Taken and the upcoming From Paris with Love, to direct their new adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi classic Dune. Originally, The Kingdom and Hancock director Peter Berg was supposed to direct, but he left the project last year (to direct Universal's Battleship movie instead) and Paramount was left without a director. Now they've brought on Morel and are "currently looking for a new writer to incorporate Morel's vision of the project into the original draft by Quantum of Solace scribe Josh Zetumer." Whoa, now I've got high hopes for this!

While I do think this means that this new Dune will be infused with a lot more action than we've seen in any adaptation prior, EW does also say that "Morel plans to make a very faithful adaptation of the 1965 book by Frank Herbert." I just hope that it's also packed with some good French action, as that is what Morel is known for and it would be a shame to see him skimp on the action. I'm very curious to hear what his vision of the project is exactly, but I've got a lot more faith in Morel than I did with Berg. While I was worried that Berg's version wasn't going to be that good, I'm now pretty excited with Morel, I think he'll do a great job.

I'm sure we'll start to hear a lot more about Dune again now that Morel is attached, so stay tuned. Until them, though, do you think Morel is a good choice? Will he bring new life to this Dune adaptation?

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23 Comments

what was Berg thinking, perhaps more money in adapting battleship i hope they find a role or at least a camio for the now Sir Patrick Stewart cause that would be awsome

Janny on Jan 4, 2010

Until then, though, do you think Morel is a good choice? Will he bring new life to this Dune adaptation? It's hard to say. I think a story as epic as DUNE is open to many interpretations, not necessarily all of them bad. I enjoyed both the David Lynch and the Sci-Fi Channel original adaptation for different reasons. Neither were great but neither were terrible. With today's effects technology and inreasingly inflated movie budgets, I think we can look forward to another enjoyable adaptation, regardless of who's in the director's seat; except for maybe Bret Ratner.

twittwit on Jan 4, 2010

HAVE YOU READ DUNE? BOTH OF THESE DIRECTORS ARE COMPLETE DRECK!

LINKFX on Jan 4, 2010

i have no idea wat this is. but im SOOOO THERE NOW

Movie mike on Jan 4, 2010

#3 - I agree, this is going to be a very tough adaption of the book. I do not think either directors are up to the challenge. Either way, I will still go see this since the book is the best scifi novel ever published

crabby on Jan 4, 2010

hmm...*I'm on the fence with this, on one hand I want to see the film version, on the other I dn't want to a lackluster version of that becomes a lazy students "Oh I'll watch the movie, and do my book report for it" type of film.

Xerxex on Jan 4, 2010

they should get scorcese. that would be interesting

samuelj on Jan 4, 2010

Sure. Why not.

Dan on Jan 4, 2010

David Lynch had an artistic view of this epic sci-fi space opera...but had issues with certain themes and elements of the book (i.e. the weirding way) The Syfy network mini series of Dune & Children of Dune, were faithful in the themes of the book, but didn't have the scope and gravitas the Lynch film had. If this version is faithful...it has to a be a true space opera, containing massive space vistas, incredible large scale action in battlefields (namely Arakis). But mostly we need to feel the weight of the empire and the great houses and the entire political landscape Dune has in the many Frank Herbert novels. This story is about faith, destiny and religious zeal! For any who have read the books you<ll know what I mean. This could very well be the STAR WARS killer, fans of true sci-fi have been waiting for. When I saw Lynch's version the first time, I was 11. I read the Dune series of books when I was 15...and I always thought...This story is so much more then Star Wars could ever dream to be! To all fan boys out there, read it or see the previous versions and hope the new version blows all our minds! " The sleeper...must awaken...."

Lazarus from Sparta!!! on Jan 4, 2010

"The Star Wars killer? Lazarus not likely, unless you mean The killer of the new trilogy.

Xerxex on Jan 4, 2010

Sad news. Since Dune really stands among dee greatests fantasy novels. For many it even tops them all. Some great director should be chosen in my opinion. James Cameron did his Dune, Avatar is Dune in more than some ways.

Bo on Jan 5, 2010

I'm not a fanboy. I've not read "Dune" but I'm aware of its artistic potential. Now that technology is in place to do Frank Herbert's vision justice some imbecile execs at Paramount decide to hand over the project to a regular hack who shoud stick to his sub-Paul Greengrass bone-crunching sadistic mayhem shtick. "Dune" is the material for an accomplished filmmaker. Morel just doesn't cut it. What annoys me is the fact that this film website supports such pitiful travesty. Sad.

Tony on Jan 5, 2010

Paramount has hired Pierre Morel to Direct Remake of Frank Herberts Dune let hope that he has some great action seqancies as in Taken and is new From Paris With Love. He might be able to inprove on the David Lynch Dune which was too long and became boaring.

Cineprog on Jan 5, 2010

#13 Story is longer, even stretches over six or some books, to me feels evenly grand up to the third book included. I didn't find Lynch boring, I loved the casting. But I would like more spectacle (like #9) and grandness with worms, space, houses etc.

Bo on Jan 5, 2010

If it is being made to be one movie, the scope has to be more narrow, not wider. I agree that Dune's greatness comes from the vastness of the stories implications, but a single movie will not be able to communicate that. The Finch movie I think did as well as can be expected for that. To be a box office success, the movie must be of more narrow focus.

9mm on Jan 5, 2010

Look forward to this,could be great but would have to be two movies,which bring up the point of where they would divide the book into two.A lot of the book is very introspective and full of personal intrigues and would be very hard to film assuming they include it,eg the benn gesserit visions of Paul.

tir na nog on Jan 5, 2010

I will basically see ANY Dune movie regardless.

Woodge on Jan 5, 2010

Monsieur Morel. Il est inutile de reprendre Dune, surtout après l'oeuvre de Davis Lynch qui est extrêmement fidèle à l'oeuvre originelle.. Tant aux deux séries télé, l'histoire est correcte et assez fidèle, mais les décors et les costumes sont du plus mauvais goût, surtout le costume des guerriers de l'Empereur. M.Morel, svp, continuez à porter au grand écran les autres volumes de cette magnifique histoire; il y en a encore 4 livres qui attendent, sans compter la suite rédigée par le fils de F.Herberts . J'espère que vous lirez ce petit texte.

Réal Genest on Jan 6, 2010

This is an extremely bizarre decision. Taken was one of the most enjoyable action movie's I've ever seen, but Dune is no blow-em-up extravaganza. It was an intensely psychological and metaphysical series that requires a director with a lot of patience, experience, and artistry. While Lynch took a number of liberties with the original material, his styling and atmosphere were amazing

YK on Jan 6, 2010

I really can't call this one. Look at what Peter Jackson's record was when they announced he'd be directing Rings. For those who have read the series (Frank's six, not the new guy's umpteen), you can understand the scope and the real weight of such a task as committing the vision to a screen. It's epic, not a shred less so than Tolkien's Opus. I think the fundamental concepts in Dune are relevant today in a way they've never been, and I think people will really resonate with that. I'm hopeful this project gains some traction.

everett marm on Jan 9, 2010

Given the positive reception of the "New 3D" viewing experience, the producers/director(s) should consider releasing a 3D verison of this new movie ... this added feature could be a better box office draw and broaden the capacities of the screenplay canvas.

CF on Jan 19, 2010

why the f*** don´t they hire: Alfonso Cuarón! Alfonso Cuarón! Alfonso Cuarón! (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, And your mother too) Intellegent unigue filmmaker, visually superb, unique take on action, idiosyncratic characters, one hell-of-a storyteller. I´d like that take on Dune..

CJ on Mar 10, 2010

Would love for this to become a trilogy as there is so much lore from the books that can be expanded upon. As for directors it would be awesome to get one of the greats to do it. Star Wars killer maybee not but it has the scope to become one of the greats as long as the books get interpereted well with all the sub stories the houses the emperor and all its glory then it could possibly kill Star Wars, Actually that makes me think that the perfect man for the job would be Peter Jackson. 'I want to spit on you just a little spittle' haha I saw the David Lynch version when i was young it is so cool outdated now but it still has such an amazing art direction to it.

werdnafaz on Sep 23, 2010

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