Character Relationship Map: Jodorowsky's Dune

Characters

• Self - Writer / Filmmaker (played by Alejandro Jodorowsky) — protagonist

  French-Swiss filmmaker who was set to direct the ambitious Dune adaptation. He assembled a massive creative team, wrote a sprawling 14-hour script, and managed early pre-production until budget constr...

• Self - Film Producer (played by Michel Seydoux) — protagonist

  Leader of the French consortium that acquired the film rights to Dune from APJ in 1974, paving the way for Jodorowsky to be attached as director.

• Self - Artist (played by Chris Foss) — supporting

  Renowned concept artist hired to design sets and characters for the unrealized Dune film, bringing his distinctive surreal aesthetic to the project's visual development.

• Self - Artist (played by H. R. Giger) — supporting
• Self - Film Critic (played by Drew McWeeny) — supporting
• Self - Film Producer (played by Jean-Paul Gibon) — supporting
• Self - V/FX Artist (voice) (archive footage) (played by Dan O'Bannon) — minor
• Self - Painter (archive footage) (played by Salvador Dalí) — minor
• Self - V/FX Artist (archive footage) (played by Douglas Trumbull) — minor
• Self - Film Producer (played by Gary Kurtz) — minor
• Self - Filmmaker (played by Nicolas Winding Refn) — minor
• Self - Filmmaker (played by Richard Stanley) — minor
• Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) (played by Orson Welles) — minor
• Self - Actor (played by Brontis Jodorowsky) — supporting

  Son of Alejandro Jodorowsky, initially intended to play the lead role of Paul Atreides at age 12 during the film's pre-production phase.

• Self - Stunt Coordinator (played by Jean-Pierre Vignau) — minor
• Self - Singer / Dali's Muse (played by Amanda Lear) — supporting

  Singer and muse listed among the potential cast members considered for roles in Jodorowsky's ambitious Dune adaptation.

• Self - Singer (played by Christian Wander) — supporting
• Self - Film Critic (played by Devin Faraci) — supporting
• Self - O'Bannon's Widow (played by Diane O'Bannon) — supporting

Story Analysis

The documentary chronicles the ambitious but ultimately failed 1970s attempt to adapt Frank Herbert's novel into a groundbreaking film.

Plot Progression

1. Rights Acquisition & Early Development — Arthur P. Jacobs secures the Dune film rights through APJ in 1971, but passes away in 1973. Jean-Paul Gibon's French consortium subsequently purchases the rights and appoints Alejandro Jodorowsky as d...
2. Grand Vision & Creative Assembly — Jodorowsky and producer Michel Seydoux launch an ambitious pre-production phase. They recruit legendary musicians, visual artists, VFX experts, and A-list actors to realize an unprecedented cinematic...
3. Author Inspection & Budget Reality — Frank Herbert visits Europe in 1976 to review the project. He discovers massive budget overruns and a 14-hour script, though he maintains an amicable relationship with Jodorowsky.
4. Financial Collapse & Project Halt — Despite two and a half years of development, the production fails to secure the remaining $5 million. Investor rejections force the project to stall completely.
5. Legacy & Alternative Realizations — The rights lapse in 1982 and are later bought by Dino De Laurentiis, leading to David Lynch's 1984 film. The original storyboard books become highly valuable collectibles, and modern essays continue t...