After being pushed back several times, marketing for Dune is starting to ramp up. With an expected October 22 release date, it's looking like the highly anticipated space epic will finally reach theaters. To entice fans, the film released eight character posters that give us a close look at many of the story's main characters - although there were a few notable absences. The release of the posters is a good sign for moviegoers as it indicates the film's imminent release.
The eight posters in question show off Paul Atreides (played by Timothee Chalamet), Lady Jessica (played by Rebecca Ferguson), Duke Leto Atreides (played by Oscar Isaac), Duncan Idaho (played by Jason Momoa), Gurney Halleck (played by Josh Brolin), Chani (played by Zendaya), Stilgar (played by Javier Bardem), and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (played by Stellan Skarsgard). Interestingly, a few major characters were not included in the lineup including Glossu "Beast" Rabban (played by Dave Bautista) and Piter de Vries (played by David Dastmalchian). Their absences are odd considering how important they were in other Dune stories. They are also becoming high profile actors themselves, so it would have made sense to include them in the marketing.
The posters give fans a glimpse into the aesthetic of the film, which was written and directed by Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival). His style is certainly unique and is beautifully displayed in the posters. Each poster does a great job of showing off the different mannerisms and personalities of each character, such as Paul's hesitation and the Baron's strange corruption. Villeneuve has already proven that he can deliver a gorgeous and memorable sci-fi film, and it appears that he will do it yet again. And that's just in the posters! If the film is anything like what the new character posters imply, then fans are in for quite the spectacle.
Dune will be yet another adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. It is set in the far future in space and follows Paul Atreides as he navigates his life as a powerful figure with unique abilities. The book and previous adaptations are set almost exclusively on a desert planet called Arrakis (hence the title), and also feature giant sand worms that are pivotal to the plot. This will be the third adaptation of Dune after a 1984 film directed by David Lynch and a 2000 mini-series that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel. Additionally, Villenueve has expressed his intentions of making a sequel as well as potential prequel series. Neither of those projects have entered production yet.
Dune will feature an absolutely stacked cast starring Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, and David Dastmalchian. The film was originally supposed to release in theaters on November 20, 2020, but was pushed back significantly due to the pandemic. However, it appears that it has a final and concrete release date now (assuming that theaters do not close down in the event of another outbreak). Dune will officially release in theaters on October 22, 2021, and it will also stream on HBO Max on the same day.
