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Ridley Scott’s iconic sci-fi horror film, which introduced cinema lovers to iconic characters like Ellen Ripley,Alienis celebrating its 45 years. Widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time,Alienwas a revolutionary project whose impact on the horror genre remains significant. However, the story of the extraterritorial creature hunting down the spacecraft crew originated from a failed attempt to adapt Frank Herbert’sDuneseries.
Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky had meticulously planned to adapt the sci-fi novels, creating a screenplay and thousands of sketches to bring his vision of the desert planet Arrakis to life. Although this project fell apart, it ultimately inspired Scott’s 1979 Oscar-winning masterpiece.
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Failed Attempt Adapting Dune
Denis Villeneuve’sDunefilm series has captivated movie lovers, especially with the 2024 sequel that continues Paul Atreides’ journey to the southern regions of Arrakis and his quest for revenge. However, prior to Villeneuve and even before David Lynch’sDunefilm, another filmmaker sought to bring this mesmerizing story to the big screen.
The cult legend Alejandro Jodorowsky embarked on an ambitious project to adapt Frank Herbert’sDuneinto a live-action epic. He dedicated years to this endeavor, developing a screenplay and spending two years visualizing the intricate worlds within Herbert’s book.
Jodorowsky vision diverged significantly from the adaptations fans are familiar with today. His concept included striped spaceships and unique costume designs, crafted with the help of a team of artistshe called“spiritual warriors.”
These spiritual warriors consisted of British illustrator Chris Foss, Swiss artist H.R. Giger, special effects innovator Dan O’Bannon, and comic artist Jean Giraud, who contributed to costume design and more than 3,000 storyboard sketches for the movie.
The filmmaker had everything in place, from the cast to a planned runtime of up to 20 hours. However, despite the extensive preparation, Jodorowsky’sDunenever came to fruition. The exact reasons for the project’s collapse remain unclear, and Jodorowsky never had the chance to film a single frame of his vision.
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However, despite its cancelation, Jodorowsky’sDuneleft a notable legacy in the world of cinema. The project influenced future films significantly, and Dan O’Bannon, who collaborated with Jodorowsky, went on to create the originalAlienstory, a testament to the enduring impact of this unmade masterpiece.
How CanceledDuneLed to Ridley Scott’s Sci-fi HitAlien
After spending six months working on the canceledDuneproject, Dan O’Bannon returned to Los Angeles. His impressive work on the failed adaptation caught the attention of George Lucas, who hired him for the graphics of theStar Warsfranchise.
Despitethis opportunity,O’Bannon continued to struggle and, seeing no other way out, decided to focus on writing. Collaborating with Ronald Shusett, O’Bannon developed a script that went through several title changes—fromMemorytoThey Biteand later toThe Star Beast,before finally settling onAlien. Initially, the script failed to generate much interest.
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O’Bannon’s exposure to artists like H. R. Giger influenced the creation of the alien creature. However, the release ofStar Warsand the resulting surge in sci-fi popularity led the studio to greenlightAlien.Ridley Scottwas soon brought on as the director, chosen for his work on the 1977 filmThe Duellists.O’Bannon not only worked on the screenplay but also supervised the visuals for the movie, which ultimately won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Alienis available to stream on Prime Video.
Laxmi Rajput
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3449
Laxmi Rajput is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, with over 3,300 articles published covering film, TV, and pop culture. With a degree in Broadcast Journalism and over three years of experience in content writing, she pivoted to entertainment journalism because let’s be honest, superheroes, sitcoms, and Netflix binges are way more fun. Laxmi frequently covers Marvel, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and popular TV shows, offering both fan-first enthusiasm and thoughtful analysis. Her work often dives into Marvel theories, revisits the genius of The Big Bang Theory, or unpacks the Netflix phenomenon of Stranger Things.
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frank herbertRidley Scott
