David Lynch’s 1984 “Dune” Had a Different Ending

Yes yes, we know- another story about “Dune.” BUT, maybe this is something you didn’t know about David Lynch‘s classic [FIGHT. US.] 1984 version of Frank Herbert‘s seminal piece of science fiction. It originally had a very different ending than the one we got.

As detailed in Max Evry‘s “A Masterpiece in Disarray: David Lynch’s Dune – An Oral History” book (which releases Sept. 19th), the originally planned ending was more in line with the source text. As you probably know, the film was plagued with studio and producer interference, causing chaos with the final cut.

Evry goes into detail in his book, but, has also put together a storyboard video of what could have been. “Just looking at the boards, it’s very clear that this is a transcendental [revelation],” Evry said. “This is Paul [Kyle MacLachlan) transcending himself and all these disparate elements, like Jessica (Francesca Annis) and Alia (Alicia Witt), and the navigators, and all this stuff coming together to turn him into what he is at the end of the film.”

So, expect to learn about this and more in Every’s book, which you can pre-order now.

“Dune Part Two” will hit theaters March 15th, 2024. Check out the alternate ending storyboard below:

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Mary Anne Butler

Mary Anne Butler (Mab) has been part of the fast-paced world of journalism since she was 15, getting her start in album reviews and live concert coverage for a nationally published (print) music magazine. She eventually transitioned to online media, writing for such sites as UGO/IGN, ComicsOnline, Geek Magazine, Ace of Geeks, Aggressive Comix (where she is still Editor-in-Chief), Bleeding Cool (where she was News Editor), and now Nerdbot as Editor-In-Chief. Over the past 10 years, she’s built a reputation at conventions across the globe as a cosplayer (occasionally), photographer (constantly), panelist and moderator (mostly), and reporter (always). Interviews, reviews, observations, breaking news, and objective reporting are the name of the game for the founder of Harkonnen Knife Fight, a Dune-themed band with an international presence. Though she be but little, she is fierce.

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