Dune Writer Pitched An Opening That Would Have Used The Entire Budget

gamespot.com:

Dune co-writer Eric Roth initially had an epic opening scene planned for Denis Villeneuve's adaptation of sci-fi classic Dune, one that he admitted was a little «out there.» It never eventuated on the screen, Roth explains in a new interview with IndieWire, with Villeneuve explaining that the one scene would have used up the film's entire budget.

In the interview, Roth talked on being an unusual pick for a sci-fi epic like Dune. While the screenwriter has had great success with adapting books for the screen--with his past work including the Oscar-winning Forrest Gump and Oscar-nominated films The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Insider, A Star is Born, and Munich--he hasn't worked much in the realm of science fiction.

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Roth explained that this was potentially a benefit when working on Dune, with the writer able to bring an outsider's perspective to a work that has more than its fair share of die-hard fans.

«I said, 'What the hell, I'll try it. What have I got to lose?'» Roth explained in the interview. «I like Denis. He’s done some really good movies, very smart, a visualist. I said, 'I'll give it a whirl, but I might be a bit out there for you people.'»

An example of one of his more «out there» ideas is the original opening Roth had written for the film. «Because I’m adventurous, I started the movie with what would seem to be Genesis--'and God created'--and you think you’re seeing the formation of the Earth,» Roth