Sci-Fi Bulletin: Exploring the Universes of SF, Fantasy, Horror and Spy-fi!

Legendary Pictures have acquired the rights to Frank Herbert’s classic SF novel Dune.

Their agreement “calls for the development and production of possible film and TV projects for a global audience”, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The project will be produced by Thomas Tull, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter, with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers.

According to the press release, only the rights to the original 1965 novel have been acquired, not the plethora of sequels by Herbert and others.

“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.

“Dune has long been considered the crown jewel of science fiction properties. Its legacy and influence is witnessed in everything from Star Wars to The MAtrixand often referred to as the science fiction version of Lord of the Rings with its sprawling world and multi-dimensional politics.”