The Mandalorian season 2 premiere presents a big challenge to the upcoming sci-fi movie Dune. The latest big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert's eponymous 1965 novel, Dune is also among the many films to have had its release plans severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled to debut in December 2020, Dune has been pushed back to its current release date of October 1, 2021.
Dune looks like it could be big sci-fi blockbuster waiting to happen. Though its source material is decidedly a niche one, Dune also has director Denis Villeneuve at the helm along with an ensemble cast of Hollywood A-listers. The first trailer for Dune also shows that the movie is clearly going all in on being as much of a grand and visually breathtaking sci-fi adventure as its literary basis. Unfortunately, the movie's delay and the premiere of The Mandalorian's season 2 could present an unexpected problem for it.
With its setting in Tatooine, already seen in the first season, the beginning of The Mandalorian season 2 already carries a similar feel to the Arrakis setting of Dune. To be fair, Dune itself was part of George Lucas' inspiration for Star Wars, so Tatooine and Arrakis being visually similar desert planets isn't surprising. However, this isn't the only area where The Mandalorian is giving viewers a Dune-esque experience before the real deal arrives. The krayt dragon also plays a major role in season 2's premiere, which leads Mando and Cobb Vanth to join forces with the Tusken Raiders to slay it. Needless to say, the concept of a large, underground desert creature in the context of a sci-fi movie is calling card of Dune with its gargantuan sandworms. Obviously, no sci-fi property has a monopoly on killer sand monsters, but nevertheless, The Mandalorian season 2 may have offered viewers a mini-Dune experience already.
With the delay that Dune has experienced, this could be further compounded by the popularity of The Mandalorian along with Dune itself being more of a cult favorite among lovers of sci-fi. The original 1984 Dune film certainly has its fans, but the movie was also a major box office failure in its time, with David Lynch also having distanced himself from the version that was released due to its alterations from his original intention. Like every upcoming movie whose release plans have been detoured by the pandemic, Dune is a victim of circumstances, but these factors taken together could present a big challenge for it as it finally makes its way into theaters.
Of course, the aforementioned assets that Dune has in its corner could work to counter that, and it's not like the film is doomed to the same failure as its 1984 predecessor. If anything, Villeneuve's adaptation is in a far better position with its cast and director, a superb first trailer, and the Dune IP - if not a household name, then at least being more widely known in the general populace now than in the early 1980s. Still, the Dune-like elements of The Mandalorian's season 2 premiere present a challenge for the former, but it could also be seen as paving the way.
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