Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel “Dune” may have been written more than 50 years ago, but the book’s legacy lives on — particularly in the pop culture world. References to young Paul…
Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel “Dune” may have been written more than 50 years ago, but the book’s legacy lives on — particularly in the pop culture world. References to young Paul Atreides’ epic, coming-of-age story have popped up everywhere from “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” to “Beetlejuice” and “The Simpsons.” The “Dune” line, “Fear is the mind-killer,” has made its way into comedies like “Chuck” or “Wilfred,” and even “SpongeBob Squarepants” incorporated a sand worm into its animated universe.
As a newest interpretation of “Dune,” from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Denis Villeneuve (who’s been dreamed of adapting the novel since he was a teenager), makes its way into theaters and onto HBO Max on Oct. 22, Variety asked Villeneuve and the cast, including Rebecca Ferguson and Sharon Duncan-Brewster, which pop culture reference are their favorites.
“I always forget that these interviews go everywhere, so the creators of ‘Halo’ or ‘Gears of War’ could call me on this and say that I’m wrong,” Chalamet mused. “But those are two video games I grew up on that I do think have a sort of dystopic future and end-days… I’d be curious if they were directly inspired by ‘Dune.’”
Of course, the most closely “Dune”-associated sci-fi property is “Star Wars,” where creator George Lucas was heavily inspired by Herbert’s mythology, Villeneuve notes. Oscar Isaac, who took on the role of Resistance pilot Poe Dameron in the sequel trilogy, was quick to name the series set “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away” as his favorite “Dune”-inspired project.
“I mean, c’mon, if anyone’s allowed to, I can say it,” Isaac quipped.
Watch the full interview above for more about how the actors and Villeneuve conquered their own fears of tackling a project that’d been called practically “un-filmable.”