Beyond his impressive filmography, director Quentin Tarantino has earned a reputation as a major fan of cinema. Therefore, it’s surprising that Tarantino has no interest in watching Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies.Villeneuve has directed many acclaimed films, such asPrisoners,Arrival, andBlade Runner 2049, but the filmmaker is definitely more popular now than ever before due to hissuccessfulDunefilms.
2021’sDunehas a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83%, and its sequel, 2024’sDune: Part Two,currently holds an impressive 92%. Additionally,Dune: Part Twogrossed $714 million at the worldwide box office, making it one of the most successful movies of the year. The cliffhangerending ofDune: Part Twohas made theupcomingDune 3one of the most anticipated movies in the coming years. However, it doesn’t seem like anything will convince Quentin Tarantino to watch Villeneuve’sDunemovies – a surprise given the director’s cineast reputation.
Why Quentin Tarantino Won’t Watch Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Movies, Explained
Tarantino Does Not Want To Watch A Hollywood Remake
Quentin Tarantino’s career began with the release of 1992’sReservoir Dogs. 1994’sPulp Fiction, only his second film, became one of the biggest movies of the year and instantly made Tarantino one of the most talked-about directors in Hollywood. Ever since, he has been an influential figure in the film community, which is why it is surprising that hedoesn’t want to watch Villeneuve’sDunemovies. Tarantino recently explained thathe doesn’t feel like he needs to watch the newDunemovies because he has already seen David Lynch’s 1984Dunefilm.
Since Tarantino already knows the general story that the newDunemovies are telling, he feels like he has no reason to watch it since he’s already seen a version of the story.
Tarantino is not actually criticizing Villeneuve’s work on hisDunemovies, or is suggesting that David Lynch’s adaptation is better. Tarantino’s criticism is of Hollywood as a whole, not Villeneuve personally.Tarantino pointed out that major Hollywood studios no longer make original films, and instead rely on well-known IPs to drive ticket sales. Since Tarantino already knows the general story that the newDunemovies are telling, he feels like he has no reason to watch it since he’s already seen a version of the story, and would much rather watch a completely original movie.
Denis Villeneuve’s Response to Quentin Tarantino
Villeneuve Doesn’t Believe His Dune Movies Are Remakes
After Tarantino’s comments, Villeneuve bluntly responded (viaThe Montreal Gazette) that he doesn’t care whether the director watches hisDunemovies or not. Villeneuve did agree with Tarantino’s criticism that Hollywood studios rely too much on preexisting properties instead of original ideas. However, Villeneuve defended hisDunemovies, and argued that they are completely original works. He disagreed with Tarantino’s reason for not watching hisDunefilms andstressed that he is not copying David Lynch’s 1984 film, or the 2000Duneminiseries.
Instead, Villeneuve claimed that he is adapting author Frank Herbert’s originalDunenovel(s) in his own way. Villeneuve does not consider hisDunefilms to be remakes of any previousDuneadaptations, and therefore believes that they should be left out of Tarantino’s argument towards the current state of Hollywood. With hisDunemovies,Villeneuve is attempting to push the boundaries of the science fiction genre, and deeply explore the characters created by Frank Herbert. The revolutionary filmmaker is not at all trying to imitate the adaptations that came before – refuting Tarantino’s position.
Comparing Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Films To The Other Dune Adaptations
Villeneuve’s Dune Movies Are Very Different From The Previous Adaptations
Prior to Denis Villeneuve’sDunemovies,it was largely believed that Frank Herbert’s novel was unadaptable. One of the main reasons why a lot of fans thought this is because David Lynch’sDunemovie was not well-received upon its release. However, Villeneuve proved everyone wrong with his adaptations and demonstrated thatDune’sstory can be told in the cinematic medium. Villeneuve achieved this by telling the story in his own way, instead of relying on past adaptations to guide his approach.
A Dune: Part 2 Change Proves Why The Franchise Has To End After The Next Movie
Dune: Part 2 made a crucial change to the source story, and in doing so proved that some future plot details are impossible for a movie to handle.
There are many majordifferences between Villeneuve and David Lynch’sDuneadaptations. Firstly, the visuals and many of the designs are drastically different in Villeneuve’sDunemovies when compared to the 1984 film. Additionally, the 1984 film relies heavily on voiceovers throughout, which Villeneuve chooses not to incorporate. Many character decisions are also different between the adaptations, which has ultimately made Villeneuve’s films much more intriguing. Therefore, Villeneuve is right to view hisDunemovies as completely original, whereas Quentin Tarantino’s dismissal feels somewhat reductive.
