The much-awaited remake of Frank Herbert’s Dune has run in to production problems with the reported exit of director Peter Berg. Known for his hit The Kingdom, Berg had originally stated the movie would be a “PG-13 rated massive epic”. With screenwriter Joshua Zetumer, he had also presented Paramount with a 175-page draft earlier this year. However Berg and his Film 44 production company have now backed out of the project for unknown reasons.
This leaves Paramount desperately seeking to find a new director. Among the shortlisted choices are Neil Marshall and Neill Blomkamp. Marshall is producer Kevin Misher’s first choice, however his claim to fame is the moderately successful The Descent, however, his disastrous Doomsday doesn’t sit well with Paramount. The studio prefers Blomkamp who directed District 9. The problem is that Blomkamp has just got the green-light for his next science fiction project, which means he won’t be able to take on any project until that is completed. Paramount doesn’t seem to have problem with that as they are willing to take their time and do this project properly. One of their requirements is that they want “a director who already has a preexisting passion for the novel and is enthusiastic about the project”. With a budget of $175 million assigned to this project that would be the wise approach.
While all of this means the movie will be made and that it will be made well, it also means that fans have a long wait ahead of them until they see even a teaser trailer for the remake.