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Peter Berg's Dune adventure looks like it's being cut prematurely short as the director has left the new adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel.

According to Pajiba, Berg, who has been developing the project for a while, dropped out recently and the producers are now faced with looking for a replacement.

The top names at the moment? Apparently, it might be down to two men with similar names.

Paramount has sent the script to Neil Marshall and District 9's Neill Blomkamp, though neither has been in negotiations about the film yet.

Marshall is said to be the top choice for producer Kevin Misher, but Paramount's not quite as sold on him considering The Descent is his only real hit (what, no love for the superb Dog Soldiers?)

Blomkamp, meanwhile, is of course riding high on District 9's success, but with him having secured the funding for his follow-up sci-fi project elsewhere, choosing him might mean waiting a while.

Paramount has $175 million to throw around and a script by Bourne 4 writer Josh Zetumer to hand. What they really need is someone with a passion for the book.