Dune (2020) - Denis Villeneuve

SixTwoSix said:
I thought DV had a 'free pass' on this one to make both parts? He said in some interviews earlier this year it was a pre-condition on him even starting the project that WB would let him make both movies regardless of how the first did.

We've also got the HBOMax series coming about the Bene Geserits, not sure how delayed that is by Covid though.
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Yeah he refused to direct it unless he could split the book into two films which the studio acquiesced to. However I can't see them wanting to pump money into part 2 if the first one bombs. BR2049 actually did okay globally despite it's perception as a disappointment financially, so as long as it does as well or better (which it should as it's less of an art house love affair) then we should be good to go.

Personally I'd really like DV to film Dune Messiah and Children of Dune for consistency - which can both be told in single movies... I'm not sure since God Emperor is really, really not film-friendly (although I love it), Heretics and Chapterhouse are but there's a long way to go before we're anywhere near talking about those.
 
Somnambulist said:
Yeah he refused to direct it unless he could split the book into two films which the studio acquiesced to. However I can't see them wanting to pump money into part 2 if the first one bombs. BR2049 actually did okay globally despite it's perception as a disappointment financially, so as long as it does as well or better (which it should as it's less of an art house love affair) then we should be good to go.
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I guess we're in such uncertain times that WB could easily change their mind about the second movie.

I think it should do well, it's had overwhelmingly positive response to the trailer from the normally vocal and divisive online community. This is assuming enough cinemas are actually still open and able to function when it does arrive.

I think the other thing on Dunes side is that outside of sci-fi fans, most folks don't know much about it so it will seem quite fresh to a lot of people.
 
X-post from the HBO max thread, DV isn't a happy man

https://variety.com/2020/film/news/dune-denis-villeneuve-blasts-warner-bros-1234851270/

I learned in the news that Warner Bros. has decided to release “Dune” on HBO Max at the same time as our theatrical release, using prominent images from our movie to promote their streaming service. With this decision AT&T has hijacked one of the most respectable and important studios in film history. There is absolutely no love for cinema, nor for the audience here. It is all about the survival of a telecom mammoth, one that is currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion. Therefore, even though “Dune” is about cinema and audiences, AT&T is about its own survival on Wall Street. With HBO Max’s launch a failure thus far, AT&T decided to sacrifice Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 slate in a desperate attempt to grab the audience’s attention.
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Once the pandemic is over, theaters will be filled again with film lovers.

That is my strong belief. Not because the movie industry needs it, but because we humans need cinema, as a collective experience.
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"currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion." ?!?!?! :-O
how in the name of living **** does an organisation continue w/ that sort of debt? There are countries w/ lower debt that that!!
 
wolfie138 said:
"currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion." ?!?!?! :-O
how in the name of living **** does an organisation continue w/ that sort of debt? There are countries w/ lower debt that that!!
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When the debt is that high it's probably less costly for the people owed to just let it keep rolling in the hopes it can be paid back given enough time

Big money rarely makes sense
 
wolfie138 said:
"currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion." ?!?!?! :-O
how in the name of living **** does an organisation continue w/ that sort of debt? There are countries w/ lower debt that that!!
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They paid $108 billion for Time Warner, so ironically that's most of the debt.

In 2019 Time Warner had $33 Billion in revenue so they were hoping to claw it back within 5-10 years (I imagine), but then Covid messed things up.
 
Once the pandemic is over, theaters will be filled again with film lovers.

That is my strong belief. Not because the movie industry needs it, but because we humans need cinema, as a collective experience.

Still possible, the virtual cinema in VR. This is how i will eventually watch Dune regardless of the cinemas being open for business. I use Bigscreen VR, an app that currently allows up to 12 people on a hosted stream, more i believe on the ticketed scheduled performances and locally played files on shared friend invites. It's magic sitting in on old films with likeminded 40 somethings from all parts of the world passing odd humorous comments. I strongly believe the more accessible VR becomes with devices like the Quest 2 that this is the way forward, i've seen the recent growth in numbers and even movie clubs forming for weekly showings of classic films for the likeminded shared experience.

The guy that runs this service has ambitious plans to get more studios on board beyond the current deal they have with Paramount, you can bet they're looking in HBO's direction when they make announcements to go direct beyond retail cinema.

Looking forward to Dune seeing it's release, but somebody need to tap up Denis and tell him his well intentioned vision now spreads beyond the brick and mortar.
 
Villeneuve said:
Once the pandemic is over, theaters will be filled again with film lovers.

That is my strong belief. Not because the movie industry needs it, but because we humans need cinema, as a collective experience.
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.................and thats where, despite enjoying his films, I completely disagree with Villeneuve and consider his opinion to be quite Luddite in outlook. If this pandemic has shown us one things it's that tens of thousands of cinema theatres are absolutely not "needed" anymore. I think the times are changing, that small niche cinemas may still survive for real film lovers, but for the big chain cinemas, outside of the few big blockbuster films per year, there's just not enough good quality "normal" films around that people would want to "risk" going to the cinema to see when they could watch it at home, and even the few good ones which seem to have a bit of hype (Coming to America 2 for example) will do better currently by streaming than by cinema sales.

The only "cure" or reversal for this is the complete and utter removal of every single type of lockdown, complete removal of the "fear" of COVID etc and thats just not going to happen anytime soon.

Maybe in 5+ years time society will have adapted to this ongoing pandemic enough that any surviving cinema chains would start to see a profit again but I think that this is the end of the vast majority of them. Hollywood will adapt (see next paragraph). They'll be forced to downsize due to the much lower incomes they receive from streaming but, again after a short while, once they figure out the best way to monetize without cinema showings, they'll be back.

Of course I know I sound a little like Chicken Little but I think TV is the short-term future for Hollywood and I think they know it looking at Disney with the Marvel shows, Star Wars shows etc.
 
It must be hard for people like Denis and Nolan etc who love making films for the big screen watching it all burn down

While home streaming makes sense for covid world and more accessible film releases in the future I do love the cinema experience and the feeling you get from that massive screen
 
Problem is as much as they and us love that experience, it's currently not viable.

I went to see Tenet on release with only 2 others in the screening at a prime time slot on a Friday evening. I thought it was done for then, but the further delays on big releases slammed in the nails. Cinema is dead, and something new will have to rise from its ashes.
 
I haven't been to the cinema in ages, last film I can remember watching was Limitless and that was nearly a decade ago. Cinemas are far too expensive and for big releases often uncomfortable and smell. Much rather chill at home with a beer to watch the latest new release on my big screen TV and surround sound setup. It's not as grand but its good enough.

Maybe for cinema to really become a thing again they need to offer much more to make it worth while. How about a VR experience, where you get to be in the film!
 
Nothing will beat watching a good film on the big screen.
Hopefully after covid drops away enough they will come back in some shape.
 
Do you think people were saying theatre is dead, when TV came about?

The average house simply doesn't have room for a 30ft screen, 4k projector and Dolby Atmos. And it never will. Sure, some of the big chains might suffer a bit - bit there's always going to be a place for cinema going forward. It's like saying restaurants are dead because everyone is being forced to cook at home or eat takeaway right now.
 
Scam said:
Do you think people were saying theatre is dead, when TV came about?

The average house simply doesn't have room for a 30ft screen, 4k projector and Dolby Atmos. And it never will. Sure, some of the big chains might suffer a bit - bit there's always going to be a place for cinema going forward. It's like saying restaurants are dead because everyone is being forced to cook at home or eat takeaway right now.
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I suggest instead that watching films at home is more akin to a takeaway from a restaurant - the same content, but not in the restaurant setting and it's degraded since it left the kitchen. This is because you don't go to a restaurant to eat what you eat at home in a new setting; you eat at them to eat things that you don't/can't/won't cook.

I don't think enough people really think the bigger screen, higher resolution and better sound system provide you with an enhanced enough experience to warrant the price, travel hassle and (presently more problematic) exposure to the general public. I certainly don't. The last time I went the 'Premiere' seats were disgustingly sticky, the floor was covered in rubbish, the other watchers were noisy and the film was actually painfully loud. And it cost £15 for something that was 'free' not long afterwards on a subscription service.
 
Cinema experience for me is all movie dependent, 95% of what i watch doesn't suffer watching at home on even a modest 4k screen. However certain movies, such as Dune in this thread, I absolutely want to see at the cinema for the initial viewing.

Tickets to my local Showcase are less than a tenner, it's 10 minutes down the motorway with ample parking, the seats are leather recliners, it's kept clean and for the most part, most of the other customers are considerate.

Odeon that's a short 5 minute drive from it by contrast is populated by noisy idiots and is barely tidied up at all through the day, the seats albeit being recently refurbished are rock hard static leather bricks :)
 
Scam said:
Do you think people were saying theatre is dead, when TV came about?

The average house simply doesn't have room for a 30ft screen, 4k projector and Dolby Atmos. And it never will. Sure, some of the big chains might suffer a bit - bit there's always going to be a place for cinema going forward. It's like saying restaurants are dead because everyone is being forced to cook at home or eat takeaway right now.
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On the other hand who wants to watch a Netflix "B" level movie on a massive cinema screen with all the cost/faff involved vs watching it at home. There's a compromise I think as both streaming and cinema's have their place, where massive cinemas are ideal for "blockbuster" movies but for all the other "smaller" cinema films (drama/comedy etc) that don't need that big screen sound shaking "experience" then streaming to your home Netflix style is the way forward.
 
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