Skip to content
MovieCove
Dune

Dune

A world beyond your experience, beyond your imagination.

1984137 minPG-13Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Director
David Lynch
Starring
Kyle MacLachlan, Francesca Annis, Patrick Stewart, Linda Hunt

In the year 10,191, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice Melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness. The spice is vital to space travel. The spice exists on only one planet in the entire universe, the vast desert planet Arrakis, also known as Dune. Its native inhabitants, the Fremen, have long held a prophecy that a man would come, a messiah who would lead them to true freedom.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Dune?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Dune streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Dune?

Dune earns 10 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Guilty pleasure.

Show 2 more
  • Reception
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Dune worth watching?

Dune's Midcredits score is the 53rd percentile of all films, from 504K ratings across 6 sources. 55% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

53rd percentile

Better received than 53% of films

69th percentile among Action56th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)46th
Approval (how many liked it)59th

60 /100

46th percentile of all films

62nd percentile among Action48th percentile among 1980s

Critics 41 · Audience 61

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.6 — solid but not unanimous.

55% liked it

59th percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Action61st percentile among 1980s
55% rated it 7–1045% rated it 1–6

Critics 36% · Audience 65%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 2 wins / 7 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Sound

99th percentile

504K ratings across platforms

98th percentile among Action99th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 6% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$40M
Opening weekend$6M
Domestic gross$31M
Worldwide gross$32M

Returned 0.8× its budget — 73rd percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually striking but narratively muddled adaptation of a dense novel.

Fans praised

  • Unforgettable Lynch visuals and production design
  • Faithful to Herbert's dense world-building
  • Toto's sweeping, memorable soundtrack

Detractors panned

  • Incomprehensible, unstructured plot
  • Poor acting and direction
  • Choppy, exposition-heavy pacing

What stands out

Cinematography70

Striking visuals, but sometimes not rooted in story

Atmosphere65

Immersive world but cold, occasionally destroyed by exposition

Originality60

Standout among Star Wars clones, but gimmicky

Effects and spectacle55

Good for the 80s, but dated and some 'set back special effects'

CharactersDivisive40

Reduced to archetypes; Paul's moral complexity flattened

PacingDivisive35

Slow start, choppy edit, rushed second half

ActingDivisive35

Mixed; some praised casting (e.g., Baron), others called it 'bad acting'

Plot and storyDivisive30

Hopelessly muddled, confusing for newcomers

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 12 points higher than women.

Under-30s vs over-30s

Preferred by Over-30s

Over-30s scored it 33 points higher than under-30s.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 8 points apart

Watch experience

What is Dune like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you can give it your full attention, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It is intense, takes its time and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you can only half-watch or you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Your full attention, patience and a taste for open questions.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
TenseContemplativeDread
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Epic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneDespite the surreal and campy elements, the film plays its material straight with earnest dramatic weight, maintaining a sincere epic stance.
The rideA constantly tense and ominous atmosphere, punctuated by moments of mystical contemplation, with no major release until the final battle.
StructureThe film is told in a linear chronological order, following the classic three-act structure from Paul's testing to his final victory.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe complex political and philosophical themes linger, while the conclusive victory leaves a sense of hope.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows Paul Atreides as he rises from exile to lead the Fremen in overthrowing the tyrannical Harkonnen and Imperial forces, fitting the overcoming_the_monster archetype with a tyrant subtype.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFreedomPower
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% (this title) · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7% (this title): Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% (this title) · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Power

Freedom · 5% of filmsAmbition · 7% of filmsFaith · 3% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Cosmic stakes: Consequences reach beyond the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on liberating Arrakis from imperial control, Paul's rise to power, and the messianic myth surrounding him.
StanceThe film affirms the struggle for freedom and the heroic destiny of Paul, treating the rebellion as noble and fate-driven.

The world

Far futureWildernessInstitutionalUrbanScience fiction
Orchestral modernElectronicExperimentalForeground music · original score · Toto
SettingThe desert planet Arrakis, with imperial palaces and the strongholds of the Fremen
MusicThe synth-heavy, otherworldly score blends rock and electronic textures to create an alien, ritualistic atmosphere.

Content guide

Is Dune okay for kids?

PG-13

Dune is rated PG-13. As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (63/100), sexual content at mild (26/100), language at minimal (11/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (24/100) and frightening material at moderate (55/100). Overall it is heavier than 56% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UKPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany16
  • France12
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandPG
  • JapanPG12
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil14
  • Belgium14
  • Denmark15
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyT
  • MexicoC
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland16
  • PortugalM/12
  • SK12
  • Spain12
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 35% of all filmsHeavier than 56% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 80%
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 43%
Profanity
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 4%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 23%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 65%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Dune have?

MovieCove's classifier found 5 depicted content warnings in Dune: Gore or body horror (moderate), Addiction or relapse (mild), Sexual violence (mild), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateGore or body horror
MildAddiction or relapseSexual violence

Cast and crew

Who is in Dune?

Cast

Kyle MacLachlan
as Paul Atreides
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Francesca Annis
as Lady Jessica
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Patrick Stewart
as Gurney Halleck
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Linda Hunt
as Shadout Mapes
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
José Ferrer
as Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV
Freddie Jones
as Thufir Hawat
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Brad Dourif
as Piter De Vries
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Richard Jordan
as Duncan Idaho
Virginia Madsen
as Princess Irulan
newcomer then · star now
Silvana Mangano
as Reverend Mother Ramallo

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Dune?

Movies like Dune include Dune (2021), Dune: Part Two (2024) and Flash Gordon (1980). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Frank Herbert, and most are dystopian films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its world: space opera. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Dune?

263 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: space opera. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.