Spicy new sci-fi trailer for locally shot epic shows off Abu Dhabi’s Dunes…

A new trailer for the upcoming Villeneuve-helmed reboot of Dune dropped last night, and there was something very familiar about it.

We’re not talking about the fact that this movie is a remake of the 1984 cult classic of the same name (which, itself, is based on a series of Frank Hubert novels). Or its main stars, Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Zendaya and Jason Momoa most of whom are on a scintillating hot streak at the moment.

Nope, it’s those tall sweeping sandbanks representing the fictional planet Arrakis, the central staging point of Dune’s main action. Some of which belong to our very own Empty Quarter in Abu Dhabi.

Yep, our grains got game.

The UAE can’t claim all of the desert planet vistas, some of the landscapes we see here in the trailer were captured in Jordan’s Wadi Rum. Another popular regional spot for Hollywood and Bollywood backdrops.

Because we’ve seen the original David Lynch movie, and read some of the books — we have a reasonable idea about the plot direction. The Atreides family are sent to Arrakis to harvest a substance called ‘melange’, a mysterious and highly-prized ‘spice’ that gives individuals enhanced abilities.

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Without giving anything away for those who don’t know the story yet, unlike Abu Dhabi, life on Arrakis isn’t all infinity pools and five-star international buffet brunches. It’s more of a giant murderous worm, harrowing visions of the future and scheming ne’er-do-wells kinda vibe.

Dune, a Warner Bros. Pictures production is currently scheduled for a December 18 release and we are cannot wait to catch this interpretation of it. Especially after Villeneuve’s recent, equally moody, brilliant work on Blade Runner 2049.

The visuals and tone in the Dune trailer are deliciously dark, an alluring aesthetic of cosmic-gothic. The Oscar-nominated lead, Chalamet as Paul Atreides, certainly looks like his father has taken him into the city to see at least one marching band.

But if like us, you’re struggling to wait till then, and you’d like to explore these and other UAE big-screen landscapes for yourself, check out our round-up of seven movies shot in Abu Dhabi with locations you can visit.

Or for the film fans among you, why not have a look at our list of 15 upcoming 2020 movies that we’re extremely excited about.

Images: YouTube