Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Dune sci-fi film has received a new, jaw-dropping promotional illustration by a famous manga artist. The Promised Neverland manga illustrator Posuka Demizu created the image, which depicts protagonist Paul, the characters of House Atreids, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, and a malevolent sandworm. Check out the image below:
Villeneuve, who has proven to be accomplished in crafting sci-fi masterpieces with a strong visual presence with films such as Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, even commented on the work, saying “I’m in awe.”
“I can see that Demizu preserves the characters and spirit of the film while making it their own. I can sense something special in how the drawing uses gravity; I think it’s very beautiful. Very poetic. It’s very humbling to me when I see what other artists feel from the ‘image’ in my work, and how they reflect that in their own work. I think it’s a beautiful present.”
Demizu hailed Dune ahead of its October release, praising its character-driven focus.
“There are so many tense scenes one after another that I didn’t have time to breathe. The different culture on an alien planet is depicted in a haunting way. It’s a story where you can feel the pulse of a small family in the middle of an enormous desert.”
In addition, other anime creators reportedly praised the film, such as Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan creator Shinji Higuchi, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex creator Kenji Kamiyama and Lupin III THE FIRST creator Takashi Yamazaki, with Higuchi praising its compelling visuals.
Dune is already proving to be a hit in the limited international markets its opened in so far, but it won’t hit cinemas in Japan until October 15th and North America on October 22nd.