Quickly becoming a global phenomenon after its 2021 release, Dune is an adventure of science fiction based on the novel by Frank Herbert. With a star-studded cast including Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet, they have only added talent in the sequel with Austin Butler and Florence Pugh. If you enjoyed the tumultuous fight over precious resources and are searching for more, watch these twelve movies like Dune.
12. Rebel Moon (2023)
Our twelfth film selection is Rebel Moon, one of the more recent films on the list. A peaceful settlement on the edge of a distant moon is threatened by a seemingly impossible army, and it’s up to Kora to bring together a group of warriors to fight the impossible. Fans of Dune will love the world-building as well as the fight for a better life.
–IMDb score: 5.6
11. Dune (1984)
Of course, we can’t have a “movies like Dune list” without including the 1984 version of Dune. Similar to the 2021 version, the Duke’s son Paul must lead desert warriors against the galactic emperor to free the world from the emperor’s tyrannical rule. A definite must-see for die-hard fans of Frank Herbert.
–IMDb score: 6.3
10. Valerian and the City of A Thousand Planets (2017)
While Dune was based on a best-selling novel, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is based on the hit graphic novel of the same name. In the film, a dark force is threatening the metropolis of Alpha, home to species from a thousand planets. It will be up to special operatives Valerian and Laureline to identify the intruders and stop them.
–IMDb score: 6.4
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9. Ex Machina (2015)
Though it doesn’t take place in a sand world, Ex Machina still delves deep into the science fiction genre, specifically the impacts of artificial intelligence on a human. When Caleb gets to spend a week at the world’s largest internet company, he does not realize he is part of a new experiment to interact with the world’s first true artificial intelligence housed in a beautiful robot girl.
–IMDb score: 7.7
8. Avatar (2009)
One of the biggest science fiction films out there is Avatar, which is similar to Dune through the lens of fighting for precious resources. Sully, a paraplegic Marine, takes his brother’s spot on an expedition to the moon Pandora to extract a precious resource, but quickly becomes torn between two worlds — the one he came from, and the one he now lives in.
–IMDb score: 7.9
7. Planet of the Apes (1968)
Also taking place on a desert planet, Planet of the Apes is a quintessential film to see what happens when humanity isn’t on top. When an astronaut crew crashes onto a planet with highly intelligent apes and enslaved humans, they are in for a rude cultural awakening.
–IMDb score: 8.0
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6. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Dive into the dust for our sixth film selection, Mad Max: Fury Road. One of several films from the Mad Max franchise, this installment focuses on Furiosa as she rebels against a tyrannical ruler to find her homeland. She gains help from a group of female prisoners and a drifter named Max, culminating in an unforgettable car chase across the barren sand.
–IMDb score: 8.1
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5. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
The oldest film on the list, Lawrence in Arabia, sits at number five. The main character is British Lieutenant T.E. Lawrence, who is sent to the sandy world of Arabia to serve as a liaison between the Arabs and the British. Lawrence rebels against his superior’s orders though and decides to trek across the desert to attack a Turkish port instead.
–IMDb score: 8.3
4. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Of course, we couldn’t include a list centering around resources, science fiction, and sand without including Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a pilot, a Wookiee, and two droids to save the galaxy while rescuing Princess Leia from Darth Vader.
–IMDb score: 8.6
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3. The Matrix (1999)
Just as Paul Atreides is the chosen one in Dune, Thomas Anderson (aka Neo) is the chosen one in the hit film The Matrix. By day Neo is a computer programmer, but at night he transforms into a hacker who questions his reality. Neo joins forces with Morpheus to take down powerful computer program agents who want nothing more than to quench the human rebellion.
–IMDb score: 8.7
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2. Interstellar (2014)
One of the best films ever in science fiction is Interstellar, starring Matthew McConaughey as astronaut Cooper. Like Dune, Earth has become a sand wasteland with humans doomed for extinction. To save the world, Cooper must join a team of researchers tasked with finding a new planet for humans to call home.
–IMDb score: 8.7
1. Dune: Part Two (2024)
Finally, we have to end the list with the newest installment in the franchise, Dune: Part Two. The 2024 film follows Paul as he unites with Chani and the Fremen on a path of revenge for his family. As he dives deeper into the world, Paul must choose between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
–IMDb score: 8.7
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