Merrick here...

Initially reported by Pajiba (!?!?) HERE and subsequently confirmed by CHUD (HERE), seems Peter Berg is no longer involved with the DUNE movie we've been hearing about recently.

Pajiba says:

But the big news is, Peter Berg completely dropped the project a few weeks ago — his Film 44 production company backed out, and now Paramount is scrambling to find a new director.

The search, however, has run into two issues: 1) they’re looking for a director who can put the movie together for under $175 million, which sounds manageable, but they don’t want anything resembling the crap effects of the ‘84 film, and 2) they want a director who already has a preexisting passion for the novel and is enthusiastic about the project. Right now, Paramount is shopping the script to two directors: They like Neill Blompkamp (District 9), who has the right vision, but the frontrunner, at the moment, is Neil Marshall (The Descent), who was sent the script early this month. However, despite the enthusiasm of producer, Kevin Misher (Public Enemies), the studio is somewhat tepid on Marshall, uncertain about handing over a $175 million film with franchise potential to a somewhat unknown director whose only hit was the modestly successful The Descent.

Brace for Ratner. He's already at Paramount doing the fourth BEVERLY HILLS COP movie, after all. I'm kidding, I hope.

Meanwhile, Berg is moving forward with his big budget, action heavy production of BATTLESHIP - based on the game of the same name.