Dune: Denis Villeneuve “still not happy” film is also premiering on HBO Max

Dune is probably one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year and it was once one of the highly-anticipated films of 2020. The film was set for release in December of last year but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a release date change much like the majority of studio releases in 2020. Dune eventually secured a new release date in October of this year but after this change was made, WarnerMedia also announced that their entire 2021 film slate would premiere in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming service simultaneously, citing the unsure nature of theatrical moviegoing as we headed into the new year. Dune director, Denis Villeneuve, was one of several filmmakers who was against the release model. Villeneuve even wrote an open letter in protest of WarnerMedia’s move to release his film in this manner. Has time changed his stance on the release strategy? Nope! Not at all!

Villeneuve spoke with Total Film about his upcoming sci-fi epic and he expressed he’s “still not happy” about the release strategy and went as far as to compare watching Dune at home to driving “a speedboat in your bathtub.” Here is Villeneuve’s full statement:

“First of all, the enemy of cinema is the pandemic. That’s the thing. We understand that the cinema industry is under tremendous pressure right now. That I get. The way it happened, I’m still not happy. Frankly, to watch Dune on a television, the best way I can compare it is to drive a speedboat in your bathtub. For me, it’s ridiculous. It’s a movie that has been made as a tribute to the big-screen experience.”

In December 2020, just days after it was announced that the entirety of Warner Bros.’ 2021 film slate would be given a simultaneous release in theaters and on the HBO Max streaming service, Villeneuve wrote an impassioned and strongly-worded rebuttal to WarnerMedia’s decision. The director agreed that “public safety comes first” but he was quick to caution that “streaming alone can’t sustain the film industry.” Director Christopher Nolan, another vocal opponent of this decision, joined Villeneuve in protest and expressed his displeasure with the fact that Warner Bros. had blindsided filmmakers by not giving them a heads up about the decision and even called HBO Max “the worst streaming service.”

I have always been on the side of filmmakers in this debate. While I understand it’s important to realize that streaming is a part of the future of the movie business, I can also see why a filmmaker, who intended for their film to be seen on the big screen, would be upset that it’s also being promoted to be viewed at home, which wasn’t the original intention. It’s clear that Dune was made to be experienced theatrically. Between the visual and sound design, I imagine it does the film a disservice to view it for the first time at home, no matter how great your TVs might be or how explosive our surround sound is.

Dune follows the son of a noble family that is entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy. Villeneuve has gathered an impressive ensemble cast for the film including Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgard, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, Chang Chen, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.

Do YOU agree with Villeneuve’s sentiments about this matter? Dune hits screens and HBO Max on October 22, 2021.