It’s fascinated generations of artists and filmmakers. It’s Dune. And now it’s Denis Villeneuve’s turn to try to adapt it.

Dune has flustered great directors before. (See: The excellent documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune and David Lynch’s Dune from 1984.) Villeneuve, though, has a the kind of background in artful, intelligent sci-fi (ArrivalBlade Runner 2046) that might just give him the tools to pull the film off. Based on the classic (and massive) Frank Herbert novel, his version features an all-star cast including Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgard, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Javier Bardem, and many more. Villeneuve’s adaptation supposedly covers just the first half of Herbert’s book, giving him more room to explore the world of Dune in a sequel.

Here’s the spicy new trailer:

Here’s the film’s official synopsis:

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Dune opens in theaters on December 18, 2020.

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