MTV Movies Blog › Pierre Morel

"Taken" and "From Paris With Love" director Pierre Morel is shaking the Spice on "Dune," the upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic science fiction novels. We've known that for a little while now, so nothing new there. What is new, however, is that a brand new screenwriter is coming on board to help Morel overhaul the initial Peter Berg script.

The Hollywood Reporter says that Chase Palmer has been hired to tackle the "Dune" script for Paramount's planned adaptation. According to the report, Palmer will integrate Morel's ideas into the story, which should result in a movie experience fairly close to the source material. Read more...

Tags Chase Palmer, dune, Pierre Morel

FROM MTV.COM: It's a measure of the fleet wit with which "From Paris with Love" has been crafted that at one point, the film's star, John Travolta, is shown chowing down on a "Royale with cheese." True, we are in France; but we're far, far away from the antic world of Quentin Tarantino. The scene sits there on the screen like a cold Whopper that nobody wanted.

The movie is a mess beyond all the usual bullet storms and flying bodies that enliven most modern action flicks. The disarray begins with the nonsensical story, which was tossed off, possibly in moments, by the alarmingly prolific Luc Besson; and it achieves full sprawl in the hands of director Pierre Morel — a man who once gave us, in league with Besson, the furious parkour quickie "District B13." That movie had a story, too, but it was never allowed to interfere with the film's real subject, which was running, jumping, climbing, smashing — nonstop fun stuff. Here, the story invites our attention, which is unwise.

Continue reading 'From Paris With Love': Bullet Time, By Kurt Loder

Tags From Paris With Love, john travolta, Pierre Morel

One of the bigger coups in Hollywood at the beginning of this year was the "Dune" adaptation's changing of hands from Peter Berg to "Taken" director Pierre Morel. Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi series has floundered in the world of film since David Lynch famously made things weird with his 1984 interpretation of the story. Syfy did a more faithful miniseries years later, but "Dune" hasn't really ever gotten a proper big screen treatment for mass audiences.

Morel has spoken to MTV a little about his plans since the news emerged, and, being a big fan, I've liked what he's had to say. It's all still very early in the process of course, but it's clear from listening to the guy that he is a fan of the series and that understands there's a spotty history to make good on. Morel spoke on "Dune" again recently with IGN, and while it's still too early for any specific details on what his plans are, he further elaborated on where in the process he is now. Read more...

Tags dune, Pierre Morel

Both stars have been around for a long time and given us a lot of movies we love; in 1994, they finally came together, resulting in the instant classic “Pulp Fiction.” Now, John Travolta and Bruce Willis are teaming once again for the new action movie “From Paris With Love” – the only difference is that, this time around, Bruce probably isn’t aware of it.

“John is great, because he likes playing with his image,” Pierre Morel, director of "From Paris," "Taken" and the upcoming "Dune" adaptation explained to us recently. “He likes doing different characters every time.” Read more...

Tags bruce willis, dune, From Paris With Love, john travolta, jonathan rhys meyers, Pierre Morel, Taken

Recently, we spoke with red-hot “Taken” filmmaker Pierre Morel about his high-profile plans to take over the “Dune” franchise. A die-hard Frank Herbert fan, Morel insisted he was going to be "very respectful" to the original novel. Now, we present the second part of our interview, in which the energetic director reveals specific plans for what how he intends to translate the beloved sci-fi series for wide audience.

“Like many people, I was not fully satisfied with David Lynch’s movie in 1984,” Morel told us in a recent phone interview. “I do respect David, and I think his interpretation and vision was interesting, but not what we [fans] expected. And I thought I’d give it a chance, try to do this, make it faster and more modern. I think that now, in 2010, we have the technology to achieve much more than David could do twenty-five years ago. I think it will be cool to try something different.” Read more...

Tags David Lynch, dune, From Paris With Love, john travolta, Pierre Morel

Ever since he landed the role of “Dune” director last week all eyes have been on high-octane “Taken” filmmaker Pierre Morel. On Monday, the red-hot filmmaker called us from Paris and filled MTV News in on his plans for a spice-filled reinvention.

“As a David Lynch movie, I loved it,” he said of the 1984 “Dune” adaptation by the famously trippy “Twin Peaks” filmmaker. “As a ‘Dune’ fan, I was not such a big fan.”

Instead, Morel plans on taking his movie in a very different direction – and back to the roots of the groundbreaking 1965 book that is reportedly the best-selling sci-fi novel of all time. Read more...

Tags David Lynch, dune, Frank Herbert, From Paris With Love, john travolta, Pierre Morel

The arrival of "Taken" director Pierre Morel on the planet Arrakis is the latest development in the twisty history of a big screen remake of "Dune." Based on the 1965 sci-fi novel, David Lynch's version—awesomely weird, or just plain weird, depending on your sensibilities—arrived in 1984. Little over two decades later, rumors that a second cinematic take was in the works.

In the fall of 2007, Ain't It Cool News suggested that "Friday Night Lights" director Peter Berg was Paramount's top choice to helm the remake. That December, MTV News exclusively confirmed the news. Read more...

Tags dune, peter berg, Pierre Morel

We've known for awhile now that Peter Berg is going to be too busy with other commitments -- like "Battleship" -- to direct the long-awaited adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel "Dune." As they say in the book however, the Spice must flow. And flow it will, as Paramount has hired a new director to step in for Berg.

The new blood is Pierre Morel, according to a report from EW's Hollywood Insider. director of "Taken," the movie in which -- as MTV Newsroom editor Kyle Anderson puts in -- Liam Neeson shoots the entire population of France in the face. Morel also directed the parkour-flavored "District B13" and the upcoming John Travolta-starring action flick, "From Paris With Love," and he served as the cinematographer on popcorn action fare like "The Transporter," "War" and "Unleashed." Read more...

Tags dune, Frank Herbert, peter berg, Pierre Morel

Apologies for today's late-breaking Dailies; a battery of meetings threw off my publishing schedule. Then there was yesterday's absence, when The Dailies fell victim of a top secret screening. But I'm back now, baby. And there's lots of news in the movies world, so let's get right down to it.

-- This is rumor territory, so take it for what it's worth. Robert Rodriguez's "Grindhouse" spin-off, "Machete," got a pretty exciting casting update. Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Jonah Hill and Robert freaking De Niro may or may not be joining the cast. The shoot is supposed to get underway in a couple weeks, so we'll all know soon enough. (Bloody Disgusting) Read more...

Tags courteney cox arquette, Danny Trejo, david arquette, jonah hill, kevin williamson, machete, Matthew Michael Carnahan, michelle rodriguez, Pierre Morel, robert de niro, robert rodriguez, Scream 4, Taken, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Wes Anderson, world war z