Denis Villeneuve Still Isn’t Happy That ‘Dune’ Will Premiere On HBO Max

The director is still mad about the decision.

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Dune director Denis Villeneuve still isn’t happy that his upcoming film will debut on HBO Max.

The Dune franchise is one that Warner Bros is already putting a lot of faith into. Director Denis Villeneuve is currently writing the film franchise’s second installment and a prequel series is in development for HBO Max. All of this seems to be depending on whether or not the first film is a box-office success.

While Denis Villeneuve is well known for making very good and profitable films like Prisoners, Sicario, and Arrival none of these films were exactly big-budgeted or major blockbusters. His first attempt at a big-budgeted movie, Blade Runner 2049, was very well received by audiences and critics but failed to make the money that would justify its expense. Naturally, the director wasn’t happy about his next big-budgeted film, Dune being released on a streaming service that could very well cut into the film’s theatrical returns.

Last year, Warner Bros made the decision that all of its 2021 films would be released in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. This would allow audiences to see the film with the streaming service if they did not want to risk infection from Covid-19. The move had a ton of critics and director Denis Villeneuve has not been quiet about his disdain for the decision.

While speaking to Total Film, the Dune director understood why so many films were going to streaming, including his. But Denis Villeneuve maintained that he still was not happy about it:

“First of all, the enemy of cinema is the pandemic. That’s the thing. We understand that the cinema industry is under tremendous pressure right now. That I get. The way it happened, I’m still not happy. Frankly, to watch Dune on a television, the best way I can compare it is to drive a speedboat in your bathtub. For me, it’s ridiculous. It’s a movie that has been made as a tribute to the big-screen experience.”

Here is the synopsis for Dune:

Set in the distant future, 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.

Denis Villeneuve directed Dune from a script he co-wrote with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts. The film stars Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgard, Charlotte Rampling, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, and David Dastmalchian.

Dune arrives in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22, 2021. Stay tuned for all the latest news on the future of the franchise and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.

Source: Total Film

Trey Griffeth

Trey Griffeth

Lover of video games, comics, and movies! Writer of all things that involve them!