DUNE: Legendary Obtains Rights To Science Fiction Novels

Legendary Pictures Picks Up Movie And TV Rights To Dune

Frank Herbert’s classic science fiction book series Dune has been optioned by Legendary Pictures for film and TV adaptations.

Should the plan go through, Legendary and Frank Herbert’s estate will join forces to bring the space-set epic to a new generation of viewers on both the big and small screens.

Already tapped to serve as executive producers on the projects are Byron Merritt, Kim Herbert, and Brian Herbert:

Set in the distant future, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides whose family accepts control of the desert planet Arrakis. As the only producer of a highly valuable resource, control of Arrakis is highly contested among the noble families. After Paul and his family are betrayed, the story explores themes of politics, religion, and man’s relationship to nature as Paul leads a rebellion to restore his family’s control of Arrakis.

A Dune movie was previously realized in 1984 with director David Lynch at the helm. There, Kyle MacLachlan headlined as Paul Atreides. While the film underperformed at the box office, it has since gained popularity as a cinematic cult classic. Herbert’s novels were later adapted for television with Syfy adapting both the first and third books (Dune and Children of Dune) as television miniseries. More recently, the 2013 documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune examined director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s failed attempts at making his own Dune movie.

Leave your thoughts on Legendary Pictures and the estate of Frank Herbert reaching an agreement to produce film and TV adaptations of Dune (via Comingsoon.net) in the comments section below. Readers seeking more movie news can visit our Movie News Page, our Movie News Twitter Page, our Movie News Facebook Page, and our Movie News Google+ Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook. No official air or release date has been offered for Dune at this point.