In the distant future, Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
Information |
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|---|---|
Language |
English |
Country |
United States |
Premiere date |
October 22, 2021 |
Running time |
155 minutes |
Genre |
Action Adventure Drama Sci-Fi |
Budget |
$165,000,000 |
Box Office |
$407,573,628 |
Crew |
|
Directed by |
Denis Villeneuve |
Produced by |
Mary Parent Denis Villeneuve Cale Boyter Joe Caracciolo Jr. |
Written by |
Jon Spaihts Denis Villeneuve Eric Roth |
Music by |
Hans Zimmer |
Cinematography |
Greig Fraser |
Edited by |
Joe Walker |
Production Co. |
Legendary Entertainment Villeneuve Films |
Distributed by |
Warner Bros. Pictures |
Official Trailer
The Plot
The Shadow of the Harkonnens and the Imperial Decree
In the year 10191, the desert planet Arrakis—the only known source of the precious "spice" melange—simmers under the brutal occupation of House Harkonnen. Chani, a young Fremen woman, recounts the history of her people’s suffering under the sadistic rule of Beast Rabban. She watches as her fellow Fremen warriors launch a desperate ambush against a Harkonnen spice harvester, only to be met with overwhelming fire. However, the political landscape of the universe shifts abruptly when the Padishah Emperor, Shaddam IV, orders House Harkonnen to abandon their fiefdom. To the surprise of the Fremen, the stewardship of Arrakis is handed to the noble House Atreides.
On the ocean world of Caladan, the ancestral home of House Atreides, Duke Leto receives the official Imperial Herald. Despite the prestige of the appointment, Leto is under no illusions; he recognizes the Emperor’s "gift" as a lethal trap designed to incite a war between the Atreides and the Harkonnens, potentially eradicating his bloodline. Nevertheless, Leto accepts the challenge, hoping to harness "desert power" by forming an alliance with the Fremen, a move he believes is the only way for his House to survive the coming storm.
Visions of the Future and the Bene Gesserit Test
Paul Atreides, the Duke’s only son, is plagued by vivid, prophetic dreams of Arrakis and a mysterious Fremen girl. He confides in his mentor, the legendary swordmaster Duncan Idaho, begging to accompany the scouting party to the desert. Duncan refuses, citing the dangers of the planet. Paul’s anxiety deepens as he reveals a vision of Duncan lying dead in the sand. Meanwhile, Paul continues his rigorous training under Gurney Halleck, who reminds him that "mood is for cattle and loveplay," stressing that on Arrakis, the Harkonnens will show no mercy, and the slow blade is the only thing that can penetrate their kinetic personal shields.
The night before their departure, Paul is summoned by his mother, Lady Jessica, to meet the Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam. As a member of the Bene Gesserit—a powerful sisterhood of spies and theologians—Jessica has secretly trained Paul in their ways, including "The Voice," a method of vocal control that compels others to obey. Mohiam subjects Paul to the Gom Jabbar, a test of human impulse control involving a box that inflicts the sensation of excruciating heat and a poisoned needle held to his neck. Paul endures the agony, passing a test many have failed. Afterward, Mohiam warns Jessica about the "Kwisatz Haderach," a predicted messianic superbeing the Bene Gesserit have been trying to breed for centuries, suggesting that Paul may indeed be "The One."
Arrival at Arrakeen and the Cry of the Messiah
House Atreides arrives at the capital city of Arrakeen, a fortress built into a natural rock wall to shield it from the planet’s devastating Coriolis storms. As the Atreides fleet descends, they are met by crowds of Fremen chanting "Lisan al-Gaib"—The Voice from the Outer World. Jessica explains to a skeptical Paul that these are religious prophecies planted by the Bene Gesserit centuries ago to protect their members if they were ever stranded. While the Mentat Thufir Hawat implements strict security protocols, the danger remains high. An assassination attempt is made on Paul’s life within the palace using a "hunter-seeker" drone, which Paul narrowly destroys by remaining perfectly still until the machine's sensors fail.
In the shadows of Giedi Prime, the oil-bathed Baron Vladimir Harkonnen meets with the Reverend Mother Mohiam. He reveals his plan to reclaim Arrakis through a massive, illegal military intervention supported by the Emperor’s elite Sardaukar terror troops. Mohiam demands that the Baron spare Jessica and Paul, as they are under the protection of the sisterhood. The Baron duplicitously agrees, though he secretly plans to leave their fate to the "merciless nature" of the open desert, ensuring his hands remain technically clean of their blood.
The Spice Harvester and the First Sign of the Worm
Duke Leto meets with Stilgar, a Fremen chieftain from Sietch Tabr. During the tense diplomatic exchange, Stilgar spits on the floor; while the Atreides officers take it as an insult, Duncan Idaho clarifies that it is a gesture of the highest respect, as water is the most precious resource on Arrakis. To secure his legitimacy, Leto invites Dr. Liet-Kynes, the Imperial Judge of the Change, to oversee a tour of the spice harvesting operations. Kynes is skeptical of the Atreides but is impressed by Leto’s genuine concern for the safety of the workers.
During the flight, the group spots a massive "wormsign"—a shimmering trail in the sand. A giant sandworm is rapidly approaching a spice harvester that has suffered a mechanical failure. Leto prioritizes human life over the valuable cargo, landing his own ornithopters to rescue the crew. During the chaotic evacuation, Paul becomes mesmerized by the spice-heavy air, experiencing a sensory overload that triggers a violent vision of a future holy war. He is nearly consumed by the approaching worm but is dragged to safety by Gurney just as the creature swallows the massive harvester whole. This encounter confirms Leto’s fears: the Harkonnens left behind equipment that was intentionally sabotaged to fail.
The Great Betrayal and the Fall of House Atreides
The stability of House Atreides is shattered by an internal traitor: the Suk doctor Wellington Yueh. Seeking to free his wife, Wanna, from the Baron's torture, Yueh disables the city’s shields and cuts off all communications. Under the cover of darkness, a combined force of Harkonnen soldiers and Sardaukar warriors descends upon Arrakeen, slaughtering the Atreides legions in their sleep. Yueh incapacitates Duke Leto with a tranquilizer dart but reveals his true intent: he has provided Leto with a hollow tooth filled with a deadly poison gas. He urges the Duke to wait until he is close to the Baron to "be a human animal" and strike one final blow.
As the city burns, Duncan Idaho manages to steal an ornithopter and escape, but Leto is brought before the Baron. The Baron mocks the Duke and reveals that he has already killed Yueh, reuniting him with his wife in death as promised. In a final act of defiance, Leto bites down on the poison tooth. A cloud of lethal vapor fills the room, killing Piter de Vries and the Baron’s entire court. However, the Baron survives by activating his suspensor belt and floating to the ceiling, escaping the heavy gas. Leto Atreides dies a noble death, but his House is seemingly destroyed.
Escape into the Deep Desert
Paul and Jessica are captured by Harkonnen soldiers and taken into a transport to be dumped in the deep desert. Using the "Voice," Paul compels one of the guards to remove Jessica’s gag. Together, they use their mental training to turn the guards against each other, leading to a bloody struggle and the eventual crash of the craft. They find a "fremkit" hidden by the late Dr. Yueh, which contains the Atreides signet ring—confirming Leto's death. That night, inside a survival tent, Paul experiences a terrifying awakening. The spice has fully unlocked his consciousness; he sees a future where a "crusade" is fought in his name, a bloody holy war that will sweep across the universe like a wildfire.
The next morning, they are found by Duncan Idaho and Dr. Kynes, who lead them to an old ecological research station. Kynes reveals her dream of terraforming Arrakis into a lush paradise, a plan that was abandoned when the spice was discovered. Their respite is short-lived as Sardaukar troops track them down. Duncan Idaho makes a heroic final stand, single-handedly holding off dozens of elite soldiers to buy Paul and Jessica time to flee. He dies a warrior's death. Dr. Kynes, attempting to escape separately, is cornered by Sardaukar. In her final moments, she uses a thumper to summon a giant sandworm, choosing to be swallowed by the "Old Man of the Desert" while taking her killers with her.
The Trial of Jamis and the Rise of Desert Power
Paul and Jessica fly their ornithopter into the heart of a massive Coriolis storm to evade Harkonnen pursuers. They narrowly survive the crash and begin a grueling trek across the open dunes. During their journey, they encounter a colossal sandworm; instead of attacking, the creature stops and stares at Paul in a moment of silent recognition before being drawn away by a thumper. Eventually, they are surrounded by a band of Fremen led by Stilgar. Among them is Chani, the girl from Paul's dreams, who hands him a crysknife—a blade made from a sandworm's tooth—warning him that he should die with honor.
Tensions flare when Jamis, a Fremen warrior, challenges the newcomers' right to live, specifically protesting against Jessica's presence. He demands a ritual duel to the death. Paul, representing his mother, is forced to fight Jamis. Despite never having killed a man before, Paul’s training and prescience allow him to best the warrior. He kills Jamis in single combat, earning the tribe's respect and a place within their community. As they prepare to travel to the deep desert, Paul sees a Fremen riding atop a sandworm, realizing his father’s dream of "desert power." He informs Jessica that he will not leave Arrakis; he will stay to fulfill his destiny. Chani looks at him and smiles, saying, "This is only the beginning."
Top Cast
- Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides
- Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides
- Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto Atreides
- Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck
- Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen
- Dave Bautista as Beast Rabban Harkonnen
- Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Dr. Liet Kynes
- Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat
- Zendaya as Chani
- Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho
- Javier Bardem as Stilgar
Movie Collection
- Dune (2021)
- Dune: Part Two (2024)
- Dune: Messiah (2026)
