Frank Herbert’s beloved science fiction novelDunewas essentially theLord of the Ringsof space operas. While it obviously boasted a rich mythology, memorable characters, and a story that had the potential to make a great film or franchise, the pressure of bringing such beloved material to the big screen was almost unfathomable.
TheDunenovel series already had an extensive fan base that knew the different planets, worlds, and languages quite well, and any director who approached the material was going to be facing an uphill battle.Denis Villeneuve’sDune: Part Onefrom 2021, starringOscar Isaac,Zendaya,Rebecca Ferguson,Javier Bardem, andTimothée Chalametwas a massive success, andDune: Part Twois one of 2024’s highly-anticipated titles. However,David Lynchtook a stab at Herbert’s world in 1984. It wasn’t just fans who were disappointed in Lynch’s box-office bomb — it seems like the only person who hated 1984’sDunemore than die-hard Herbert readers was Lynch himself.
A Duke’s son leads desert warriors against the galactic emperor and his father’s evil nemesis to free their desert world from the emperor’s rule.
David Lynch Was an Odd Choice To Direct ‘Dune'
Of all the possible directors that could have been tasked with creating the firstDuneadaptation, Lynch was a very odd choice. Even during the early stages of his career, Lynch had established a reputation for creating stories about oddballs and outcasts, and incorporated intense surrealist themes within his work. However, in the wake of thesuccess of his debut featureEraserheadand his Academy Award-nominated work on the emotional biopicThe Elephant Man, studios began considering whether Lynch had what it took to bring an expensive science fiction epic to life.
After turning downGeorge Lucas’ request to directReturn of the JediwhenThe Empire Strikes BackdirectorIrvin Kershnerdecided not to helm the third installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, Lynch was approached by Universal Pictures to directDune. He wasn’t the first auteur filmmaker who considered working on Herbert’s beloved novel series. A decade prior, the surrealist Chilean filmmakerAlejandro Jodorowskyattempted to create a wildDuneadaptationthat would have included the music ofPink FloydandOrson Wellesas Baron Harkonnen. While Jodorowsky’s version ofDunewas hardly based on the original source material at all, Lynch found himself genuinely inspired by the unique world-building within the novel.
Lynch found himself“knocked out” upon finishing the novel for the first time, and stated that while he “wasn’t crazy” about popular science fiction epics like the Star Wars franchise that was popular at the time, he felt that “Dunewas different” because “it had believable characterizations and depth.” Lynch went on to proclaim that “in many ways, Herbert had created an internal adventure, one with a lot of emotional and physical textures.” BringingDuneto life became his new obsession; after working on an extensive drafting process with co-writersEric BergrenandChristopher De Vore,Lynch ditched his collaboratorsin order to focus on his definitive version of the story. In both Lynch and Universal Pictures’ eyes,Dunewould be the first installment in a new blockbuster franchise.
‘Dune’ Was a Very Difficult Production for David Lynch
Unfortunately, the ambitions that Lynch had forDunewere not exactly what Universal Pictures had in mind. As any fan of Lynch knows, the surrealist artist has a unique style that cannot be emulated (although many have tried and failed).Lynch’s movies are often surreal, shocking, and defy traditional logic. These aren’t necessarily the same qualities that general audiences look for in a sci-fi action adventure film marketed as the next version of Star Wars. When Lynch approached Universal Pictures with histhree-hour cut ofDune, the studio took the film away from him to develop a more streamlined cut that removed some of the weirder elements.
Lynch would later state thathe “knew when I was signing the contract that I was signing away final cut and from that moment I felt like, looking back, I started selling out.” Lynch admitted that while he was intrigued by the potential of utilizing a larger budget on a genre outside of his comfort zone he “probably shouldn’t have done that picture,”He said that while he“saw tons and tons of possibilities for things I loved, and this was the structure to do them in,” he had no interest in seeingDenis Villenueve’s new version.
The Studio Got in the Way of David Lynch’s ‘Dune’
The version ofDunethat hit theaters was a hackneyedcombination of Lynch’s version and studio-mandated scenesthat didn’t reflect what either party wanted. It was a situation similar to the controversy surrounding 2017’sJustice Leagueand the conflicting styles ofJoss WhedonandZack Snyder. The film drew the ire of both critics and audiences, guaranteeing that Lynch would never get the chance to return to Herbert’s material for a sequel or continuation. At the time of its release,Dunewasone of the biggest box-office bombsin the history of the sci-fi genre. In the documentaryJodorowsky’s Dune, Jodorowsky proclaimed that he had been overjoyed by Lynch’s misfortune, as it signaled to him that the source material was unadaptable and that he hadn’t personally failed when his version failed to take off.
One of David Lynch’s Best Movies Is Also the Most Un-Lynchian Film Possible
This road drama lacks the darkness of many of Lynch’s other films but carries over many stylistic and thematic similarities.
While it’s unlikely that Lynch would ever be able to capture the footage that he needed in order to create a director’s cut,he hinted as recently as last yearthat it’s not an idea that is out of the question. Lynch is known for reworking his films and has released edited versions ofInland EmpireandLost Highway.He revealed that while it’s “not like there’s a bunch of gold in the vaults waiting to be cut and put back together,” the prospect of releasing a director’s cut “might be interesting; there could be something there.”
Despite the toxic reputation that Lynch’sDunehas, it was an important project for him to work on. Not only did it serve as his first collaboration withKyle MacLachlan, who he would go on to work with onBlue VelvetandTwin Peaks, but it inspired him to step away from ever working on massive studio tentpole projects. Had Lynch not failed in his attempt to court mainstream audiences withDune, the world may never have experienced such masterpieces asBlue VelvetandMulholland Drive.
Duneis available to watch on Max in the U.S.
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