There’s a lot of talk about so-called “geek properties” and their appeal. Depending on who you believe, anything the nerdy class is into has a pass directly through Hollywood. With that said, Dune is struggling to make it off the ground.
Paramount loses the rights to the Frank Herbert classic in Spring of 2011, and they find themselves without a director at the moment. It was all set with Pierre Morel, but apparently the Taken director has taken his talent elsewhere. All in all, it’s starting to look more and more like development of the 1980s version. It just needs to swing through three or four more directors before settling down to a nightmarish shoot.
Look for news of its definitive death or complete resurrection soon.
This is only one victim of the tangled dance of rights holders and studios, and you owe it to yourself to grumble in frustration/sigh from relief about this situation, and then read the great piece over at Deadline on the subject.