Dune Star Jason Momoa Wants to See Six-Hour Version of Film

The original Dune novel from author Frank Herbert is one of the most cherished sci-fi journeys of all time, while also being one of the most ambitious, which is why star of the upcoming Dune movie from director Denis Villeneuve Jason Momoa hopes that one day he could see an extended, six-hour version of the upcoming movie. Villeneuve himself has confirmed that his new film only tells roughly half the story of the novel, and with the film not set to hit theaters until October, its run time isn't yet known, with Momoa's comments leaving fans to speculate how different the theatrical cut will be from what was originally filmed. Dune hits theaters and HBO Max on October 22nd.

"It was a cool movie. You know what they need to do? They need to make the four-to-six hour version of the first half," Momoa shared with The New York Times. "It's like, 'Let's watch the four-to-five-hour movie like a TV show; I can choose when I want to watch the whole thing.' I want to see Denis' whole vision. I don't want it to be trimmed."

Momoa previously starred in Justice League from director Zack Snyder, which took four years from its theatrical release before Snyder's complete vision was unveiled, so the actor is no stranger to seeing a director's vision compromised for a debut in theaters. The conditions surrounding the two projects are quite different, and we can likely assume that whatever sacrifices Villeneuve had to make for the film weren't due to studio-mandated feedback.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero's journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to 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 novel was previously brought to life for a feature film from director David Lynch back in 1984, though that experience saw development complications due to the studio, resulting in a project that underwhelmed both devout fans and newcomers to the narrative. The story has also been adapted for TV series, which allowed the ambitious narrative to be honored more faithfully.

The new Dune lands in theaters and on HBO Max on October 22nd.

Are you hoping for an extended version of the new film? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!