It’s Monday (or so we’re told), and Warner Bros. is kicking the week off with something pretty exciting: Our first official look at Dune, Denis Villeneuve’s ambitious new adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel. While the previous logo artwork left us confused about the film’s actual title—is it… Dunc?—the new logo featured above puts more emphasis on that damnable E. So yes, the movie is called Dune, you dummies. Vanity Fair also debuted the first photo of Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, seen brooding on the shores of the planet Caladan—and hitting peak Soft Boy Chalamet in the process:
It’s a look that says, “And how many Sartre books have you read, you fucking poser?” Very Chalamet. The image also gives us a better idea of Villeneuve’s aesthetic for Dune, which feels of a piece with his previous sci-fi efforts, Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival. The filmmaker collaborated with cinematographer Greig Fraser (Zero Dark Thirty) for Dune, which centers on Paul Atreides, a fancy lad from a royal family which has inherited stewardship of Arrakis—a mining planet that produces a highly valuable resource known as “spice.” Atreides soon finds himself swept up in a battle with House Harkonnen, a rival family vying for control of Arrakis and its precious resources.
Dune co-stars Rebecca Ferguson and Oscar Isaac as Paul’s parents, Lady Jessica and Duke Leto Atreides (respectively), and Josh Brolin as Paul’s mentor—a soldier named Gurney Halleck. Vanity Fair is set to reveal additional photos from Dune tomorrow, as well as an interview with Villeneuve about his quest to adapt the sci-fi classic. For now, Dune is scheduled to hit theaters on December 18—a date that could obviously change in the coming months.