Why Quentin Tarantino Is Wrong About Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Movies

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’s Dune movies. Villeneuve has directed many acclaimed films, such as Prisoners, Arrival, and Blade Runner 2049, but the filmmaker is definitely more popular now than ever before due to his successful Dune films.

2021’s Dune has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 83%, and its sequel, 2024’s Dune: Part Two, currently holds an impressive 92%. Additionally, Dune: Part Two grossed $714 million at the worldwide box office, making it one of the most successful movies of the year. The cliffhanger ending of Dune: Part Two has made the upcoming Dune 3 one of the most anticipated movies in the coming years. However, it doesn’t seem like anything will convince Quentin Tarantino to watch Villeneuve’s Dune movies – 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’s Reservoir Dogs. 1994’s Pulp 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 he doesn’t want to watch Villeneuve’s Dune movies. Tarantino recently explained that he doesn’t feel like he needs to watch the new Dune movies because he has already seen David Lynch’s 1984 Dune film.

Tarantino is not actually criticizing Villeneuve’s work on his Dune movies, 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 new Dune movies 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 (via The Montreal Gazette) that he doesn’t care whether the director watches his Dune movies 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 his Dune movies, and argued that they are completely original works. He disagreed with Tarantino’s reason for not watching his Dune films and stressed that he is not copying David Lynch’s 1984 film, or the 2000 Dune miniseries.

Instead, Villeneuve claimed that he is adapting author Frank Herbert’s original Dune novel(s) in his own way. Villeneuve does not consider his Dune films to be remakes of any previous Dune adaptations, and therefore believes that they should be left out of Tarantino’s argument towards the current state of Hollywood. With his Dune movies, 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’s Dune movies, 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’s Dune movie was not well-received upon its release. However, Villeneuve proved everyone wrong with his adaptations and demonstrated that Dune’s story 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.

There are many major differences between Villeneuve and David Lynch’s Dune adaptations. Firstly, the visuals and many of the designs are drastically different in Villeneuve’s Dune movies 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 his Dune movies as completely original, whereas Quentin Tarantino’s dismissal feels somewhat reductive.

Dune

Created by

Frank Herbert

Cast

Kyle MacLachlan , Timothée Chalamet , Zendaya , Austin Butler , Javier Bardem , Rebecca Ferguson , Oscar Isaac , Jason Momoa , Stellan Skarsgård , Josh Brolin , Dave Bautista