Director Steven Spielberg returned to the sci-fi genre with this summer’s Disclosure Day, kicking off his press tour by praising another sci-fi franchise. On the cover of Empire magazine, Spielberg declared that Denis Villeneuve’s Dune was his favorite science fiction movie ever made. Villeneuve is scheduled to release Dune: Part 3 (based on Frank Herbert’s Dune Messiah) later this year.
“I’ve been loving the Dune movies lately. It’s one of my favorite science fiction movies of all time, not just these days, especially the second one,” Spielberg said. “I think[Part 2]is the best movie Dennis has ever made. I can’t wait to see the third one. I’m sure he’ll show it soon. I’m a fan of his.”
“I love the book[Dune]and I think his homage to the book is similar to Guillermo’s[del Toro]homage to Mary Shelley in Frankenstein. He honored Mary Shelley the way I think Dennis honored Frank Herbert,” the filmmaker continued.
Spielberg didn’t make his love for Dune a secret. In a Q&A with Villeneuve at the Directors Guild of America shortly after Dune: Part 2 was released in theaters, Spielberg called the sequel “one of the greatest science fiction movies I’ve ever seen.”
“First of all, there are filmmakers who build worlds,” Spielberg told Villeneuve at the time. “It’s not a long list and we know who many of them are. Starting with[Georges]Méliès, Disney, Kubrick, George Lucas. Include Ray Harryhausen in that list. Fellini built his own world. Tim Burton. Obviously Wes Anderson, Peter… Jackson, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, Ridley Scott, Guillermo del Toro. The list goes on, but it’s not that long.” I truly believe you’re one of those new members…and that scene of surfing the sandworm is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Spielberg was one of the many top directors who supported Dune Part 2 when it was released. At the time, Christopher Nolan moderated FYC’s conversation with Villeneuve and said: “I think this is a miracle work of adaptation. It’s about taking that second half and creating a believable ending to the story…almost. Adaptation is a process of condensing and simplifying things. My impression after watching both films, especially the second one, is that this was an act of delving a little deeper, delving into complex issues, and embracing them and world-building beyond what was in the book. ”
Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” will be released in theaters on June 12th, and Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part 3” will be released on December 18th.
