Hollywood film ‘Dune’ spotlights the stunning beauty of Abu Dhabi

Gulf Today Report

As blockbuster “Dune” hits cinema screens across the region, exclusive footage of the filming in Abu Dhabi was released on Wednesday, detailing how the stunning landscape of Abu Dhabi was used for the iconic setting of the desert planet Arrakis in Denis Villeneuve’s adaption of Frank Herbert’s best-selling sci-fi novel.

The epic action-adventure movie, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, filmed at the Liwa desert over 11 days with a team of local and international talent. The film benefited from a rebate through Abu Dhabi Film Commission, while production services were provided by Epic Films, along with support from a number of UAE production partners, including twofour54, Go Aerials, Filmquip Media, FSTOP Location Services and EMAN Transport.

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The exclusive behind-the-scenes footage shows the cast and crew on location for a sequence of key scenes set on Arrakis, where Dune’s thunderous action takes place.

Dune is among more than 110 major productions that have used Abu Dhabi as a location in recent years.

“Dune’ tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to Arrakis — the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive. The cast of “Dune” includes Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Zendaya, David Dastmalchian, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, with Charlotte Rampling, with Jason Momoa, and Javier Bardem.  It premiered at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 3 and will be released theatrically in the region on September 23, 2021.

Dune is among more than 110 major productions that have used Abu Dhabi as a location in recent years, benefiting from the diversity of its locations, pool of talented professionals, award-winning facilities and generous 30% cashback rebate. These include Hollywood hits such as the ‘Mission: Impossible’, ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Fast and Furious’ franchises, as well as ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’, and Netflix’s ‘6 Underground’ and ‘War Machine’. Villeneuve directed ‘Dune’ from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Villeneuve and Oscar winner Eric Roth (‘Forrest Gump’) based on the novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert. Oscar nominee Mary Parent (‘The Revenant’), Villeneuve, Cale Boyter and Joe Caracciolo Jr. produced the film. The executive producers were Tanya Lapointe, Joshua Grode, Herbert W. Gains, Jon Spaihts, Thomas Tull, Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert. Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures Present a Legendary Pictures Production, a Film by Denis Villeneuve, ‘Dune’. The film is slated to be released in theatres on September 23, 2021.

Denis Villeneuve is a French Canadian film director and writer. He was born in 1967, in Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada. He started his career as a filmmaker at the National Film Board of Canada. He is best known for his feature films “Arrival” (2016), “Sicario” (2015), “Prisoners” (2013), “Enemy” (2013), and “Incendies” (2010).