Despite being a huge hit, Quentin Tarantino has no interest in watching Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movie series, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya.
During an interview with the Bret Easton Ellis podcast (via World of Reel), Tarantino revealed that he saw David Lynch’s previous adaptation several times, and that is enough of that story for him. He does not need to see sandworms—or “spice worms,” as he calls them—or movies that say “the word ‘spice’ so dramatically.”
He continued by lamenting the lack of originality in movies and TV. Tarantino has not watched Shōgun or Ripley either because of their previous adaptations. In the case of Shōgun specifically, he said, “I don’t care if they take me and put me in ancient Japan in a time machine. I don’t care — I’ve seen the story.”
Quentin Tarantino’s movies
Even if he is not a Dune fan, Quentin Tarantino is known for his own acclaimed movies. He made his feature-length directorial debut in 1992 when he made Reservoir Dogs. The ensemble piece features the likes of Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, and Steve Buscemi in the cast.
A couple of years later, Tarantino followed that up with Pulp Fiction, one of the most famous movies of all time. Pulp Fiction is another ensemble piece that features the likes of John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, and Uma Thurman. It made over $213 million on a $8 million budget.
In the subsequent years, Tarantino has continued to put out movies, including Kill Bill, Inglourious Basterds, and The Hateful Eight.
His latest movie, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, was also a hit. It grossed over $392 million and received 10 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Brad Pitt won his first acting Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.
He has just one movie left in him before he calls it a day. Fans of Tarantino will have to wait and see what his final movie is about. He has kept them waiting for over five years since his last project.
The Dune movies
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After Lynch’s 1984 Dune and John Harrison’s 2000 TV series adaptations, Denis Villeneuve took a swing at adapting Frank Herbert’s iconic sci-fi epic. The first part was released in 2021 as a part of Warner Bros’ “day and date” release strategy, meaning it was released in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day.
It still grossed over $400 million during its theatrical run. Almost three years later, a sequel was released to finish adapting Herbert’s first Dune book.
Dune: Part Two was an even bigger hit. It is one of the highest-grossing movies of 2024, making over $714 million worldwide. Inside Out 2 ($1.6 billion), Deadpool and Wolverine ($1.3 billion), and Despicable Me 4 ($965 million) have since topped it.
Timothée Chalamet leads the Dune cast as Paul Atreides. The first two movies chronicle his rise to power after his family is torn apart. A third installment in the series is also on the way, presumably adapting Dune: Messiah.