Re: New Dune-movie

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My big question is what this will do to pirating. Aren't people more or less ripping films straight of streaming services these days? Or are they more secure than I think they are? I mean, I can't imagine this sells that many HBO Max subscriptions, right?

Re: New Dune-movie

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Sure, there's pirating out there, but it's really a drop in the bucket, most people don't have the patience or know how to do such. And even those who do, streaming services are so cheap it's almost not worth it. Even with access to other means, I still have Netflix, Disney+, HBOMax and Amazon Prime (the latter more for shipping though, I always forget they have a streaming service). Hell, I even had Apple+ for a couple of months to binge the things I wanted to watch on there.

It will be interesting to see what happens to tentpole movies. Disney appears to still be all in on them, other studios not so much. They day may come where the only films playing in actual movie theaters are the giant tentpoles and the multiplexes go the way of the dinosaurs in favor of giant luxury single screens.

The streaming services suck when it comes to smaller films and independent production. They want you to come to them with a finished project already paid for which they'll just buy for pennies and you'll be lucky to make your budget back. They don't finance much themselves unless you're a big name.

I think the 31 day HBO Max window is a bone thrown to theaters. "See, after 31 days you'll have no competition!" Of course everyone will have watched it by then. I'm sure VOD sales and rentals are also part of that, but I can't imagine the people running the numbers think that's going to be a big thing when everyone has already watched it on streaming. There are so few movies I care to own anymore.
Just cut them up like regular chickens

Re: New Dune-movie

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the plot thickens...
IndieWire wrote:Legendary’s Fight Against Warner Bros. Could Save ‘Dune’ from HBO Max
Denis Villeneuve is strongly against Warner Bros. shifting "Dune" to the streamer.

News broke less than a week after Warner Bros. announced it was shifting its entire 2021 film slate to a hybrid theatrical-HBO Max release model that Legendary Entertainment was set to challenge the Hollywood studio over the decision. Legendary financed 75% of the budgets for “Dune” and “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Under Warner Bros.’ new release strategy, these tentpoles will open in theaters on the same day they become available to stream exclusively on HBO Max for 31 days. Deadline now reports that Legendary’s fight against Warner Bros. could save at least “Dune” from a streaming fate.

As reported by Deadline: “Legendary is in a big fight that might result in lawsuits after it financed 75% of tentpoles ‘Dune’ and ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ and was completely blindsided. Rumors have the solution to that breach being to preserve ‘Dune’ as a traditional theatrical to preserve its franchise potential and since its October 1 release date falls well after the estimated late spring date when Covid vaccines should achieve herd immunity. ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ might stay an HBO Max hybrid in its May 21 slot, but only if Warner Bros. makes a deal with Legendary that uses as a base the $250 million value established when the film was shopped earlier to Netflix.”

Deadline originally reported that Legendary’s biggest issue with moving “Dune” to a hybrid release model was that it could impact the long-term commercial viability of the franchise. “Dune,” directed by Denis Villeneuve, is the first entry in a planned two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel. The movie is also set to lay the groundwork for a television series.

When it comes to “Godzilla vs. Kong,” Legendary allegedly had Netflix lined up to purchase “Godzilla vs. Kong” for around $250 million earlier this year. Warner Bros.’ parent company WarnerMedia reportedly blocked the decision, thus opening the door for the monster movie tentpole to be released on HBO Max in addition to theaters. Per Deadline, Legendary is reportedly looking to secure the same $250 million valuation from Warner Bros. over its decision to stream “Godzilla vs. Kong.” IndieWire has reached out to Legendary Entertainment for comment.

If Legendary can manage to preserve “Dune” as a theatrical-only release, it will certainly please writer-director Villeneuve. The filmmaker came out swinging against Warner Bros.’ decision to shift “Dune” to HBO Max, publishing an essay on Variety earlier this month in which he said the decision “might’ve killed the franchise.”

“There is absolutely no love for cinema, nor for the audience here,” Villeneuve wrote of the HBO Max decision. “It is all about the survival of a telecom mammoth, one that is currently bearing an astronomical debt of more than $150 billion. Therefore, even though ‘Dune’ is about cinema and audiences, AT&T is about its own survival on Wall Street. With HBO Max’s launch a failure thus far, AT&T decided to sacrifice Warner Bros.’ entire 2021 slate in a desperate attempt to grab the audience’s attention.”

“Dune” is currently scheduled for a hybrid release on October 1, 2021. “Godzilla vs. Kong” will be released earlier on May 21, 2021.

Re: New Dune-movie

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I think we're going to be seeing a lot more of this. Everyone is pretty much up in arms over not being consulted about the move. Even if things aren't pulled from HBOMax's intended day and date premiere, Warners is going to have to be opening it's pocketbook to keep everyone happy. Otherwise they'll have no future product as no one will want to work with them.
Just cut them up like regular chickens

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[youtube][/youtube]

was anyone able to see the preview? it wasn't here. i heard it was like 15 min of the film. don't really know what to make of this trailer. not sure it's doing a great job of selling what this is. but i hope that it isn't a dud. really want to see this franchise made.

Re: New Dune-movie

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Saw it in IMAX yesterday afternoon, came home and immediately watched it again on HBO. It is really an incredible film.

Sure, there are some gripes:
  • Shadout Mapes was barely used
  • Completely missed opportunity to show the Navigators
  • No banquet scene
  • No drunken Duncan or balliset playing
  • No Emperor
  • No Princess
  • Kynes was a woman. Not a big deal, just took a minute to adjust to this. Don’t think it really makes any fundamental difference.
  • Piter was barely used
  • Couple pronunciations weren’t what I expected/wanted
  • It wasn’t made very clear that Jessica disobeyed and was being punished by the Sisterhood. She also didn’t seem as afraid/differential to Mother as I would have liked.
  • The Sisterhood’s long game was only sort of touched on, but I expect that to be rectified in the next film.

But these are all nits I’m picking. The visuals and effects were great, the score and sound design were incredible, we got a ton of lines directly from the book text, Baron was fantastic, cast was great. It’s really as perfect a first half Dune film as we could have gotten, I think. I hope it’s a hit and they back up a truck full of cash to DV’s place and turn him loose on 10 more films. I want him doing nothing else for the next 20 years. It had classic DV color palette and pacing, and lots of visuals borrowed from and/or nodding to Lynch and Naussicaa. As a mega Dune fan, I loved it and can’t wait for the Sisterhood show. Lots of potential there.

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TC wrote: 24/10/21, 08:55:02 Saw it in IMAX yesterday afternoon, came home and immediately watched it again on HBO. It is really an incredible film.

Sure, there are some gripes:
  • Shadout Mapes was barely used
  • Completely missed opportunity to show the Navigators
  • No banquet scene
  • No drunken Duncan or balliset playing
  • No Emperor
  • No Princess
  • Kynes was a woman. Not a big deal, just took a minute to adjust to this. Don’t think it really makes any fundamental difference.
  • Piter was barely used
  • Couple pronunciations weren’t what I expected/wanted
  • It wasn’t made very clear that Jessica disobeyed and was being punished by the Sisterhood. She also didn’t seem as afraid/differential to Mother as I would have liked.
  • The Sisterhood’s long game was only sort of touched on, but I expect that to be rectified in the next film.

But these are all nits I’m picking. The visuals and effects were great, the score and sound design were incredible, we got a ton of lines directly from the book text, Baron was fantastic, cast was great. It’s really as perfect a first half Dune film as we could have gotten, I think. I hope it’s a hit and they back up a truck full of cash to DV’s place and turn him loose on 10 more films. I want him doing nothing else for the next 20 years. It had classic DV color palette and pacing, and lots of visuals borrowed from and/or nodding to Lynch and Naussicaa. As a mega Dune fan, I loved it and can’t wait for the Sisterhood show. Lots of potential there.
I know I typed up a response to this, but it seems to have disappeared. Maybe I didn't hit submit.

I agree that the film is great visually, super cast, and follows the book well enough. But I wish it had more of the depth of the source material. I feel like it just hits the highlights of the plot, with little Easter eggs hidden for the fans of the book but not explained to new viewers. With 2.5 hours to tell half the book, I feel like more of those details could have been incorporated and spelled out in a way to make newcomers understand more of the richness of the Dune universe and all the machinations going on in the background. As far as taking a dense book and beloved book and translating it to screen, I feel like LOTR still sets the standard. I don't have much to complain about with regards to what IS in the Dune movie. I just wish that more of the details from the book made it on screen.

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i'm sure somewhere along the way, some decisions had to be made as far as explaining things that are sort of tangential to the main storyline now or wait for future installments/side shows (ala sisterhood). i get it. i have also heard (here we go again) that the original cut was 3.5h long, so we may see some of that at some point. which is fine by me. give me 10 hours. just keep going.

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Well, for one, Lynch deviates wildly from the book and Denis (and fans of the book) wanted a true adaptation. But you know this already, so I’ll address the spirit of your comment: it’s quite possible to love both versions for different reasons. They are very different films from very different film makers with very different intent. Secondly, judging an initial world-building, stage-setting film that is only half of the story is pretty daft. Some of the things wrong with it could be addressed in the second half and/or an extended cut. Last, it’s also ok if you don’t particularly like DV’s films/style and find them boring and over long. I believe you said the same or similar things about BR2049. I completely disagree, but it’s ok you feel that way. You’re allowed to be wrong. And we all know that no small part of you loves being a contrarian just for the sake of it.