Lynch instead chose to direct a big budget adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune for Italian producer Dino De Laurentiis's De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, on the condition that the company release a second Lynch project, over which the director would have complete creative control.
Derefter siger Lynch ja til at lave en højbudgetsfilm over Frank Herberts science fiction roman Dune for den italienske producer Dino De Laurentiis' De Laurentiis Entertainment Group på den betingelse, at selskabet bagefter udgiver et andet Lynch-projekt, hvor han vil have fuldkommen kreativ kontrol.