If you loved Dune, the best movies to watch next are Blade Runner 2049, Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Lord of the Rings. Denis Villeneuve’s Dune mixes a vast desert world, a young hero caught in a prophecy and a story about power, religion and empire. This list sorts 10 films by which of those parts they share, and tells you how each one is different.
Last updated: October 20, 2026.
Quick picks: which Dune-style movie should you watch?
- Want more desert epics and worldbuilding? Lawrence of Arabia, Mad Max: Fury Road, Star Wars
- Want more Villeneuve-style sci-fi? Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Interstellar
- Want a chosen-one story? The Matrix, The Fellowship of the Ring
- Want empire, power and alien worlds? Avatar, Dune (1984)
What makes Dune special?
Frank Herbert’s novel follows Paul Atreides, a young nobleman whose family takes control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the valuable spice. The story is about much more than a battle for a planet. It looks at how empires control resources, how religions and prophecies can be used as political tools, and what happens when a hero gains too much power. Villeneuve’s films add huge visuals and a heavy, serious tone. The movies below share at least one of those qualities.
Comparison table
| Movie | Year | Director | Why it feels like Dune |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blade Runner 2049 | 2017 | Denis Villeneuve | Same director, huge slow visuals |
| Lawrence of Arabia | 1962 | David Lean | Outsider who leads desert people |
| Star Wars | 1977 | George Lucas | Desert planet, empire and a young hero |
| Mad Max: Fury Road | 2015 | George Miller | Desert wasteland, control of scarce water |
| The Fellowship of the Ring | 2001 | Peter Jackson | Epic worldbuilding and a chosen journey |
| Arrival | 2016 | Denis Villeneuve | Thoughtful sci-fi about time and fate |
| Interstellar | 2014 | Christopher Nolan | Big ideas, emotional stakes, epic score |
| The Matrix | 1999 | The Wachowskis | A prophesied “One” and a hidden system |
| Avatar | 2009 | James Cameron | An outsider joins an alien people, resources at stake |
| Dune (1984) | 1984 | David Lynch | An earlier adaptation of the same story |
Desert epics and worldbuilding
1. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Director: David Lean. Stars: Peter O’Toole.
Why it fits: A British officer enters the desert, wins the loyalty of local tribes and becomes a legendary leader. The outsider who rises among desert people is a story often compared with Paul Atreides and the Fremen. It was also a huge desert spectacle on film, and it won the Oscar for Best Picture.
How it differs: It is a historical drama, not science fiction, and it is very long and slow.
2. Star Wars (1977)
Director: George Lucas. Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher.
Why it fits: A young hero from a desert planet gets pulled into a war against a galactic empire. Fans and critics have long compared its desert setting and chosen-one story with Dune, although Lucas drew on many sources.
How it differs: It is a lighter adventure with clear heroes and villains, while Dune is far more political and morally complicated.
3. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Director: George Miller. Stars: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron.
Why it fits: In a desert wasteland, a warlord keeps power by controlling the water supply. That echoes how control of the spice, and water on Arrakis, shapes power in Dune.
How it differs: It is almost one long chase, with little dialogue and far less politics.
Villeneuve and big-idea sci-fi
4. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Director: Denis Villeneuve. Stars: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford.
Why it fits: The same director builds a huge, quiet, beautiful future, with cinematography by Roger Deakins, who won the Oscar for it. If you loved the look and pace of Dune, start here.
How it differs: It is a slow, personal detective story about identity, not an empire at war.
5. Arrival (2016)
Director: Denis Villeneuve. Stars: Amy Adams.
Why it fits: A linguist tries to talk to aliens and finds her sense of time changing. Like Paul’s visions of the future, it asks whether knowing what is coming means you can change it.
How it differs: It is small and quiet, built on conversation rather than battles. For more sci-fi like this, see our list of movies like Interstellar.
6. Interstellar (2014)
Director: Christopher Nolan. Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway.
Why it fits: A huge story about humanity’s survival, with an emotional core and a powerful score. Composer Hans Zimmer, who wrote this film’s music, also won the Oscar for scoring Dune.
How it differs: It is about science and family, not politics or religion.
Chosen-one stories and prophecy
7. The Matrix (1999)
Directors: The Wachowskis. Stars: Keanu Reeves.
Why it fits: A man learns he may be “the One” in a world controlled by a hidden system, and has to decide whether to accept a prophecy. Dune is more critical of its chosen one, but both ask what a prophecy really costs.
How it differs: It is fast, stylish and action-driven, set in a digital world.
8. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Director: Peter Jackson. Stars: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen.
Why it fits: A huge, lived-in world with old history, rival peoples and a young hero who has to carry a burden. If you like the deep worldbuilding of Dune, this is a good next step. Our guide to the Lord of the Rings movies in order shows how to watch them all.
How it differs: It is fantasy rather than science fiction, and far more hopeful.
Empire, power and alien worlds
9. Avatar (2009)
Director: James Cameron. Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña.
Why it fits: An outsider joins the native people of an alien planet while humans mine a valuable resource there. That mix of colonial power, a precious material and an outsider who changes sides is close to Dune’s core story.
How it differs: It is much simpler in its morality and leans on visual spectacle.
10. Dune (1984)
Director: David Lynch. Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Sting.
Why it fits: It adapts the same novel, so the story, characters and world are the same. It is also interesting to compare with Villeneuve’s version.
How it differs: It received mixed reviews on release, with a stranger, more theatrical style, and it squeezes the whole book into one film.
Bonus: a documentary about a Dune that never got made
Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013) is a documentary by Frank Pavich about director Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ambitious but never completed 1970s plan to adapt Dune. It is a good watch for anyone who wants to know the history of the book on screen.
What to expect from Dune: Part Three
The next film in Villeneuve’s series, Dune: Part Three, is scheduled to reach theaters on December 18, 2026. It adapts Frank Herbert’s second novel, Dune Messiah, and is meant to close the trilogy, with Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya returning. It is expected to open the same weekend as Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, and we compare their chances in our article Dune 3 vs Avengers: Doomsday. Check the studio’s official site for any date change.
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FAQ
What is the closest movie to Dune?
Blade Runner 2049 is closest in look and direction, since Denis Villeneuve made both. Lawrence of Arabia is closest in story, with its outsider leading a desert people.
Is Star Wars based on Dune?
Not directly. The two share ideas such as a desert planet and a chosen-one hero, and fans often compare them, but George Lucas drew on many different sources.
Should I watch the 1984 Dune before the new ones?
You do not need to. It is worth watching for comparison, but expect a very different, stranger film.
What are good movies like Dune for people who prefer action?
Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars are the most action-driven picks on this list.
When does Dune: Part Three come out?
It is scheduled for December 18, 2026, according to Warner Bros.
