Legendary scores the TV and film rights to Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’

Legendary have acquired the rights to Frank Herbert’s novel Dune. The deal, which was made with author Frank Herbert‘s estate, covers both television and film. According to Deadline, the property could span a franchise at Legendary, which will be produced by Thomas Tull, Mary Parent and Cale Boyter, with Brian Herbert, Byron Merritt and Kim Herbert serving as executive producers.

The original book tells the epic story of the planet Arrakis, its Atreides rulers and their mortal enemies the Harkonnens is the finest, most widely acclaimed and enduring science fiction novel of this century.

Set in the far future amidst a sprawling feudal interstellar empire where planetary dynasties are controlled by noble houses that owe an allegiance to the imperial House Corrino, Dune tells the story of young Paul Atreides (the heir apparent to Duke Leto Atreides and heir of House Atreides) as he and his family accept control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the ‘spice’ melange, the most important and valuable substance in the cosmos. The story explores the complex, multi-layered interactions of politics, religion, ecology, technology, and human emotion as the forces of the empire confront each other for control of Arrakis.

Published in 1965, it won the Hugo Award in 1966 and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. Dune is frequently cited as the world’s best-selling sci-fi novel.

Dune has been adapted twice before – back in 1984 by David Lynch, and a three-part TV mini-series adapted and directed by John Harrison in 2000.

No news on when the new work will be brought to the screen, but we’ll keep you posted.