Jon Spaihts, Academy Award-nominated for co-writing ‘Dune’ joins Awards Daily‘s Shadan Larki for an in-depth conversation about his approach to adapting Frank Herbert’s iconic novel and what to expect in Dune: Part II.
From the onset, director Denis Villeneuve knew that Dune needed to be split into two parts to give proper justice to Frank Herbert’s magnum opus. In his co-writer Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve found a kindred spirit, someone who shared not only a deep love of the novel, but a similar outlook on its themes and how they should be brought to the screen.
Joined by Eric Roth, the trio, now Oscar-nominated for their screenplay, took Herbert’s sci-fi classic and created a film that is a compelling, visually masterful cinematic experience that remains faithful to the source material.
Here, Spaihts details his approach—the political intrigue, the world-building, the elements of Dune he wanted to highlight, what was left on the cutting room floor, and his insights into Dune: Part Two, due in 2023.
Watch the full interview with Jon Spaihts below:
Fantastic interview. As someone who loves the book, I recognize it’s challenges and flaws as well as genius. Spaihts/Villeneuve adaptation is nothing short of brilliant. They focused on character, which is the compelling through-line of the series. I am so confident in these two for Dune 2. And if they get Dune Messiah, it is ONLY these two who can make that story approach satisfaction. They are burdened with terrible purpose in this undertaking.