For those worried that Frank Herbert's complexly detailed novel, Dune, is going to be adapted into a mindless sci-fi action movie, worry no longer, as star Oscar Isaac and director Denis Villeneuve have discussed some of the timely themes that will be weaved through the upcoming big screen venture. In a recent interview, Isaac states how the movie's "anti-capitalist and environmental" themes make it particularly relevant.

"It's about the destiny of a people, and the different way that cultures have dominated other ones. How do a people respond when it's at the tipping point, when enough is enough, when they're exploited? All those things are things we're seeing around the world right now."

Following on from Oscar Isaac, Villeneuve adds, "Something I deeply love in the book is that there was a strong balance between the masculine power and feminine power," with the director saying that he made sure to keep these ideas present in the movie adaptation.

Much like the rest of his back catalogue, Villeneuve clearly intends to say something with Dune, with the director planning to make a movie with a lot of important topics on its mind, rather than another big, loud science fiction blockbuster.

Dune is being described as a mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, and 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 boasts an impressive, star-studded cast that includes Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, Dave Bautista as Glossu Rabban, Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat, Zendaya as Chani, David Dastmalchian as Piter De Vries, Chang Chen as Dr. Wellington Yueh, Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho, and Javier Bardem as Stilgar. Directed by Blade Runner 2049's Denis Villeneuve and with a screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve, and Eric Roth, Dune has all the ingredients to be a very worthy adaptation of the complex source novel.

Along with the appropriate themes, one of the most interesting elements of the novel are the giant sandworms that inhabit the desert world of Arrakis. We were given our first look at the infamous sandworms recently, with director Denis Villeneuve having discussed the attention to detail that went into crafting the creatures.

"We talked about every little detail that would make such a beast possible, from the texture of the skin, to the way the mouth opens, to the system to eat its food in the sand," Villeneuve said of the effort that has gone into the sandworm's design. "It was a year of work to design and to find the perfect shape that looked prehistoric enough." Dune is scheduled for release on December 18, 2020. This news comes to us courtesy of Empire.