VENICE: With a $165-million budget and a cast to rival the star system of Arrakis, hopes are high for “Dune” as it prepares to land in Venice next Friday for its world premiere.
The cast list is exciting enough, including Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac and Javier Bardem.
But what has sci-fi fans really feverish is the man behind the camera: Canadian Denis Villeneuve.
Through hits like “Sicario” and “Arrival”, Villeneuve has put himself alongside Christopher Nolan as one of the rare directors who can deliver deadly serious cinema that also packs theatres.
Crucially, he has also proved a safe pair of hands when handling totems of 20th-century geekdom, after his critically adored “Blade Runner 2049”, a sequel to the sci-fi classic.
