Dune taken by Morel

Now that filmmaker Peter Berg has ditched DUNE to play with the big-screen board game BATTLESHIP, who controls the spice?

There were rumors that Paramount was seeking a suitable replacement, and names like DISTRICT 9’s Neill Blomkamp and THE DESCENT’s Neil Marshall were supposedly on their list.

But according to EW, French filmmaker Pierre Morel will be stalking the sands of Arrakis for the epic sci-fi tale of feuding interplanetary empires and wormy delights. Morel will reportedly make a “very faithful adaptation” of Frank Herbert’s massive book.

A Luc Besson protege, Morel followed his fun futuristic parkour/martial arts flick BANLIEUE 13 (DISTRICT 13) with the smashing success of Liam Neeson’s vengeance in TAKEN. He had been considering several projects before deciding to follow in the footsteps of David Lynch and a bunch of Sci-Fi Channel miniseries.