Dune cinematographer on his move from Star Wars to Villeneuve’s sci-fi epic

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Ask anyone who keeps their finger on the pulse of Hollywood what one of the most anticipated movies of the year is, and they'll tell you, without hesitation, that Denis Villeneuve's DUNE is near the top of that list. After delivering such engrossing sci-fi epics as ARRIVAL and BLADE RUNNER 2049, Villeneuve had established himself as a master of his craft, and soon he'll tackle Frank Herbert's sprawling space adventure with a spoil of talent along for what's sure to be a wild ride. Included in the list of creatives who've been assigned to DUNE is ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY and FOXCATCHER cinematographer Greig Fraser, who recently sat down with the fine folk at Collider to talk about shooting Villeneuve's latest journey among the stars.

While speaking with Collider's Adam Chitwood during a session for the outlet's remote interview series Collider Connected, Fraser talked in depth about shooting for DUNE, and how it differs from capturing the sci-fi majesty of a film like Rogue One.

When asked about the difference between shooting for Rogue One and Dune, Fraser told Chitwood the following:

It was quite fun because I had to forget a lot of Star Wars when I was making Dune. It wasn’t hard, though. Denis and I spoke clearly about how the film should look and should feel, and the formats and this and that, so it was not hard to swerve and change lanes. There were some similarities like the deserts. I mean listen, ultimately I’m positive George Lucas was inspired by Dune when he made Star Wars. I don’t know if that’s sacrilegious to talk about, but there are a lot of similarities in some areas, so you could tell he was definitely influenced by that. So I had to be careful doing both [Dune and The Mandalorian] and not to repeat myself. Also not just for the sake of the movie, but for fun. I hate to do the same thing twice.

While Villeneuve has previously stated that DUNE is just one half of his take on Herbert's vision, Fraser says that even though the story's been split in half that the upcoming film will still offer audiences a rewarding viewing experience.

“It’s a fully formed story in itself with places to go. It’s a fully standalone epic film that people will get a lot out of when they see it… It was quite an adventure visually. It was a beautiful experience making it. The people involved with it, I was overwhelmed. Some of the actors, as well as being insanely talented actors, are just lovely, lovely people who I’ve become very close to since then.”

For more on Fraser's experience while working on Denis Villeneuve's DUNE, be sure to check out Collider's exclusive report.

Built as a feature adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel series, DUNE revolves around the son of a noble family entrusted with the protection of the most valuable asset and most vital element in the galaxy. With a screenplay from Villeneuve, Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts, DUNE stars Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Dave Bautista, Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, Javier Bardem, David Dastmalchian and Stellan Skarsgard, among others.

While theaters are still in the midst of reopening during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, DUNE is still scheduled to hit arrive in theaters on December 18, 2020.