Jodorowsky's Dune - The Kenner Toys That Never Were

Jodorowsky's Dune - The Kenner Toys That Never Were

Jodorowsky's Dune - The Kenner Toys That Never Were

MARCH 31, 2025

This is some of the geekiest shit I've ever posted. This is for you Mike D. Enjoy.

In the mid-1970s, visionary filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky attempted to create what would have been the most ambitious science fiction film ever made: an adaptation of Frank Herbert's "Dune." Though the project never materialized, it left behind a treasure trove of concept art from legendary artists like Moebius (Jean Giraud) and H.R. Giger.

Using OpenAI's latest image generation capabilities, I've reimagined what might have happened if this unmade film had been successful enough to spawn a line of Kenner toys – similar to what Star Wars would achieve just a few years later. The results showcase the striking contrast between the avant-garde, psychedelic designs of Jodorowsky's vision and the simplified, mass-market aesthetic of 1970s action figures.

Original Sandworm Concept Art Sandworm as 70s Kenner Toy Original Baron Harkonnen Concept Art Baron Harkonnen as 70s Kenner Toy Original Duncan Idaho Concept Art Duncan Idaho as 70s Kenner Toy Original Paul Atreides Concept Art Paul Atreides as 70s Kenner Toy Original Concept Art Concept as 70s Kenner Toy Original Spaceship Concept Art Spaceship as 70s Kenner Toy

This experiment highlights the fascinating intersection of high art and commercial merchandising that defined the late 1970s sci-fi boom. Jodorowsky's Dune, with its surreal imagery and metaphysical themes, would have presented unique challenges for toy manufacturers of the era. The AI-generated transformations attempt to capture how these complex designs might have been simplified and adapted for the limitations of plastic molding technology and the expectations of the children's toy market.

The transformation process involved:

  • Simplifying the intricate details of Moebius and Giger's artwork
  • Adapting the color palette to match the limited paint applications of 70s action figures
  • Reimagining the proportions to fit the standard 3.75" scale popularized by Kenner
  • Adding the characteristic "five points of articulation" pose
  • Incorporating the slightly glossy plastic finish typical of the era

This project once again demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of OpenAI's image generation technology, which continues to outpace competitors in its ability to understand complex creative prompts and produce coherent transformations that maintain the essence of the original while adapting to a completely different medium and context.

While Jodorowsky's Dune never made it to theaters, its influence on science fiction cinema has been profound and far-reaching. Perhaps in some alternate timeline, children of the late 70s were playing with these strange, psychedelic action figures instead of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader – creating a very different cultural landscape for generations to come.