Variety Confirms Berg to Direct Dune Remake

I’m always amused when Internet movie sites get a movie news before the trades like Variety or The Hollywood Reporter, because, well, we always depend on THEM for the news, not the other way around. Such as this news about the upcoming “Dune” remake. We reported here, and others reported it over three months ago (from last year!) that Berg would be remaking the movie, and Variety has just now gotten around to confirming it.

The project is out to writers, with the producers looking for a faithful adaptation of the Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning book. The filmmakers consider its theme of finite ecological resources particularly timely.

New Amsterdam’s Richard Rubenstein, who produced Sci Fi’s “Dune” and sequel “Children of Dune,” is also producing alongside Sarah Aubrey of Film 44, Berg’s production banner. John Harrison and Mike Messina exec produce.

Paramount envisions the project as a tentpole film.

So yes, it’s happening. “Dune” is being remade by Peter Berg, which isn’t such a bad idea, because Berg is a damn fine director, and I wouldn’t mind seeing what someone less, shall we say, esoteric than Mister Lynch could do with this project.