Ridley Scott's Unmade Dune: A 40-Year-Old Secret Unveiled
This week marks forty years since David Lynch's Dune premiered. Initially a box office flop, it's since garnered a devoted cult following, contrasting sharply with Denis Villeneuve's recent big-screen adaptation. Ridley Scott's involvement, preceding Lynch's, has remained largely shrouded in mystery—until now.
Thanks to T.D. Nguyen, a 133-page October 1980 draft of Scott's abandoned Dune, penned by Rudy Wurlitzer, surfaced from the Coleman Luck archives at Wheaton College. This draft, intended as part one of a two-part series, reveals a significantly different vision than either Lynch's or Villeneuve's interpretations.
Frank Herbert's initial screenplay was deemed overly faithful to the novel and cinematically unwieldy. Scott, after Harlan Ellison declined the project, engaged Wurlitzer for a complete rewrite. Wurlitzer himself described the process as exceptionally challenging, stating in a 1984 interview that crafting a workable outline proved more arduous than writing the final script. He maintained they captured the novel's essence while infusing a unique sensibility. Scott later confirmed to Total Film in 2021 that the resulting script was "pretty fucking good."
Several factors contributed to the project's demise: the death of Scott's brother, his reluctance to film in Mexico (as De Laurentiis stipulated), escalating budget concerns exceeding $50 million, and the perceived viability of Filmways' Blade Runner project. However, Universal executive Thom Mount cited a key factor in the author's book, A Masterpiece in Disarray – David Lynch's Dune: the script lacked universal acclaim.
This newly discovered draft offers a glimpse into Scott's vision. It opens with a dream sequence depicting apocalyptic armies, foreshadowing Paul's destiny. The visual descriptions are richly evocative, showcasing Scott's signature stylistic density.
Unlike Timothée Chalamet's portrayal, Scott's Paul is a seven-year-old, undergoing trials that reveal his psychic connection with Jessica. While elements like a burning hand are present, they're revealed as illusions. This Paul displays a "savage innocence," a far more assertive character than Lynch's version, according to Stephen Scarlata, producer of Jodorowsky's Dune. The script even includes a flash-forward showcasing Paul's transformation into a master swordsman.
A pivotal plot point deviates from the novel: the Emperor's death serves as the catalyst for the events. The scene unfolds in a mystical setting, with the deceased Emperor's pronouncements influencing the transfer of Arrakis to Duke Leto. The Baron Harkonnen's attempts at negotiation are swiftly rejected, leading to conflict. A line strikingly similar to a famous line from Lynch's film—"He who controls the spice controls the universe"—appears in this draft, sparking speculation about its origin.
The Guild Navigator is depicted as a unique, almost otherworldly creature, a visual element absent from both subsequent film adaptations. Ian Fried, screenwriter of Legendary's Spectral, highlights the scene of Jessica witnessing the Emperor's death as a particularly chilling and original addition.
The Atreides' arrival on Arrakis is portrayed with a medieval aesthetic, emphasizing swords, feudal customs, and class disparity. The ecological impact of spice mining is highlighted through Kynes' explanations, mirroring Villeneuve's focus on ecological themes. A new action sequence introduces a bar brawl, showcasing Paul's early prowess, a point of contention among critics.
The scene where Paul and Duncan encounter Stilgar and a Harkonnen agent is significantly more violent than previous adaptations, featuring graphic depictions of combat. Jessica's intimate moment with the Duke is made explicitly clear in the dialogue. Paul's encounter with a Hunter-Seeker, a bat-like creature, adds a biological twist, echoing elements from Jodorowsky's unmade Dune.
The escape into the desert is equally intense, with a crash landing and a perilous journey to find the Fremen. The script notably omits the incestuous relationship between Paul and Jessica, a significant deviation from previous versions that reportedly angered Herbert and De Laurentiis. Despite this omission, a suggestive scene remains where Paul and Jessica lie together on a sand dune.
The encounter with the Fremen, the duel with Jamis, and the subsequent integration into the tribe are depicted with a similar level of brutality and intensity. The Water of Life ceremony is presented as a surreal and mystical event, featuring a shaman with three breasts and a giant sandworm. The script concludes with Jessica becoming the new Reverend Mother and Paul's acceptance into the Fremen tribe, setting the stage for his future role.
This draft presents a darker, more violent, and politically charged Dune, emphasizing ecological concerns and the dangers of charismatic leadership. While it deviates significantly from the novel, it offers a unique perspective, reflecting the stylistic sensibilities of its time and foreshadowing elements of Scott's later works. The script's ultimate failure highlights the challenges of adapting such a complex and multifaceted novel, and the potential for significant creative differences between authorial vision and studio expectations. It remains a fascinating glimpse into a Dune that never was, leaving us to ponder what might have been.
