There’s a very good reason why Dune, one of the most influential sci-fi books of all time, has never had a great adaptation. Basically, it’s just a lot. The story is set across multiple planets; follows several families, factions, and belief systems; and is less about action than it is about persuasion — diplomacy or cunning is favoured over brute strength and violence. When filmmaker Denis Villeneuve sat down to adapt Frank Herbert’s classic for the 21st century, he knew he had several challenges, but making it accessible to a larger audience — so the film would make money — was the biggest one of all.
