Co-Writer Eric Roth Says New DUNE Adaptation Is “Spectacular”

Denis Villeneuve’s epic adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune will hit the big screen in October. And today, co-writer Eric Roth has high praise for Villeneuve’s film.

RELATED: New DUNE Trailer is Here!

Read his comments below.

Roth tells Collider: “[Working on Dune] was wonderful. I’d done some work for Denis on Arrival and we became kind of a little bit of soulmates. And so when Dune came along, he asked me if I would approach it. And I did, and I wrote a big, full, overwritten Eric Roth draft that had certain things special to me.”

He adds: “It needed to be, honestly, cut down and sort of harnessed, and Denis did some of that, and they eventually brought in a writer — I was busy, so they brought in a writer named Jon Spaihts, who is a wonderful writer, who I think kept it grounded. And I think he… I don’t want to say Lord of the Rings, but I think it’s really pretty spectacular. He’s a visionary of his own kind, Denis.”

Roth adds: “It’s completely the first half. Yeah. I didn’t know when we started, so I think I adapted a little more than the first half and started going into the second half of the book. But I’ve seen the film, it’s pretty much the first half.”

RELATED: DUNE Rated PG-13 for Strong Violence, Disturbing Images, and More

Recently, original Dune star Kyle MacLachlan admits it’s “disheartening” the new film might debut on HBO Max the same day it hits theaters. He tells Seattle Times: “I think the simultaneous release is kind of the wave of the future. It’s disheartening though because a movie like that is meant to be seen on the large screen.”

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Villeneuve directs Dune from a script he wrote with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts, based on the novel. Chalamet, Ferguson, and Brolin’s co-stars include Oscar Isaac, Stellan Skarsgård, and Javier Bardem. Charlotte Rampling joins in with Dave Bautista, David Dastmalchian, Jason Momoa, Stephen Henderson, and Zendaya.

Dune finds Duke Leto Atreides accepting stewardship of the desert planet Arrakis. The only source of the most valuable substance in the universe, the spice. The drug extends life, provides superhuman thoughts, and makes space travel possible. Leto takes his concubine Lady Jessica, young son and heir Paul, and most trusted advisers to Arrakis. Leto takes control of the spice mining operation. A bitter betrayal leads Paul and Jessica to the Fremen, natives of Arrakis who live in the deep desert. 

Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, some disturbing images, and suggestive material. Dune hits theaters and also (maybe) HBO Max on October 1.

Are you also up for Dune?

Make sure to let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also hit me up over on Twitter @MikeSpregg325.

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