Dune Movies: Every Film in the Franchise
The Dune movies are three released theatrical films, David Lynch's Dune (1984) and Denis Villeneuve's Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), with Dune: Part Three due in US theaters on December 18, 2026. Villeneuve's films tell one continuing story, while the Lynch film is a separate, earlier adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel, so the two runs are best treated as different versions rather than a single series.
Next: Dune: Part Three · December 18, 2026Every Dune Movie
How many Dune movies
What Are the Dune Movies?
The Dune movies are screen adaptations of Frank Herbert's novel Dune, made in two separate runs nearly four decades apart. David Lynch directed Dune (1984), and Denis Villeneuve directed Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), with a third Villeneuve film, Dune: Part Three, due in December 2026. If you are new to the saga, the main thing to hold onto is that these are two adaptations of one book, not one long series, so the franchise is really two retellings that share a starting point.
Both adaptations begin with a noble family handed a desert planet that is the only source of the spice the empire depends on. In the 1984 film, Kyle MacLachlan plays Paul Atreides, and the Emperor, who needs the spice melange from Arrakis, gives the planet to House Atreides in what is really a trap set by the Emperor and the Harkonnens. Lynch's film runs 136 minutes, with Sting as Feyd Rautha, Patrick Stewart as Gurney Halleck and Brian Eno credited as composer. For a comparison with the novel, see Dune books vs movies.
Villeneuve's version spreads the book across films. Dune (2021) had its world premiere on September 3, 2021 at the 78th Venice Film Festival, out of competition, then opened in US theaters on October 22, 2021, with a same day release on HBO Max in the US and a theaters only release in Canada. Dune: Part Two was first dated for November 3, 2023, slipped during the SAG-AFTRA strike, and opened on March 1, 2024 after a London premiere on February 15 in Leicester Square. Hans Zimmer scored both films, and the Dune soundtrack page covers the albums.
By Box Office Mojo's figures, the three released films have grossed about $1.16 billion worldwide combined. Dune: Part Two leads with $715 million on a $190 million budget, Dune (2021) took $411 million on a $165 million budget, and the Lynch film took $31.5 million on a $40 million budget. Dune box office breaks the numbers down by market. Anyone searching for Dune 2 is looking for Dune: Part Two, the second Villeneuve film, and the full film list sits on how many Dune movies there are.
Dune Movies in Order: Where Should You Start?
The Dune movies in order of release are Dune (1984), Dune (2021), Dune: Part Two (2024) and, from December 18, 2026, Dune: Part Three. The full guide to Dune movies in order gives the reasoning, and the list is short enough to show here.
- Dune (1984), directed by David Lynch, 136 minutes, a separate adaptation of the same book.
- Dune (2021), directed by Denis Villeneuve, 155 minutes.
- Dune: Part Two (2024), directed by Villeneuve, 167 minutes.
- Dune: Part Three (December 18, 2026), directed by Villeneuve, not yet released.
Release order and story order match for the Villeneuve films, since Part Two picks up with Paul and Lady Jessica in the deep desert after House Atreides has fallen, and Part Three follows Part Two. The Lynch film covers the same opening events as Dune (2021) on its own terms, so it sits outside that sequence rather than before it. The Dune timeline lays out the story beat by beat.
Why is Dune (2021) the right first stop? In my opinion, the answer lies in how much ground each film covers. Villeneuve spends 155 minutes on the move from Caladan to Arrakis, including Paul's meeting with Reverend Mother Mohiam and his dreams of a Fremen girl, and that is roughly the territory the 136 minute Lynch film covers before it hurries on. Part Two then spends its 167 minutes on Sietch Tabr, where Paul wins a duel to earn a place among the Fremen, Jessica takes on a dangerous religious role, and the raids on the Harkonnen spice operation begin. That slower pacing is the main difference between the two adaptations, and it is a direct result of splitting the book across films.
Production history backs this up. Dune (2021) was shot partly at Origo Studios in Budapest, and Part Two returned to Origo for its sets, with Jordan and Abu Dhabi supplying the desert exteriors, according to the American Cinematographer coverage of Part Two. The same coverage describes an infrared method used for the Harkonnen world of Giedi Prime, which gives the Feyd-Rautha scenes a look the first film never needed. Hans Zimmer scored both Villeneuve films, and he turned down Tenet to do so. Brian Eno is credited on the Lynch film. Compare the budgets and the gap shows: $40 million for 1984, $165 million for Dune (2021) and $190 million for Part Two.
It could be argued that the 1984 film makes a better second watch than a first, since its choices read more clearly once you know the shape of the book as Villeneuve presents it. Its casting is a curiosity in itself: Sting plays Feyd Rautha, a part that Austin Butler took in Part Two. Perhaps think of it like seeing a stage production after the film version, the same text with very different staging. If you want a ranking rather than an order, see Dune movies ranked.
Dune: Part Three: Release Date, Cast and Status
Dune: Part Three is set to open in US theaters on December 18, 2026, according to TheWrap, and it is currently in post production. The same outlet reports that IMAX theaters have been secured for opening weekend and that Legendary and Warner Bros. are releasing the film. No UK or Australian release date has been reported, and no source has reported a change to the US date.
Variety's Australian edition reported on July 9, 2025 that the film was titled Dune: Part Three, after earlier reports had called it Dune Messiah, with filming about to begin and a December 2026 release expected. A trailer arrived on March 17, 2026 and a new one followed on July 8, 2026, and both are collected under Dune: Part Three trailer.
Villeneuve is reported as director. TheWrap's trailer coverage lists Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides, Zendaya as Chani, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, with Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia Atreides and Robert Pattinson as Scytale. A July report adds Jason Momoa as Hayt, along with Isaach De Bankolé, Charlotte Rampling and Josh Brolin, without character names for those last three. All of this is reported casting.
The film opens on the same day as Avengers: Doomsday. The A.V. Club reported on March 19, 2026 that Dune staked out the date first and that Avengers: Doomsday moved onto it. Further cast and status details sit on the Dune: Part Three page.
Who Are the Main Characters in the Dune Movies?
Dune charactersThe main characters in the Dune movies are Paul Atreides, his mother Lady Jessica, his father Duke Leto Atreides, and the Fremen and Harkonnen figures they meet on Arrakis. The full Dune characters guide has a page for each, and Dune houses explains the noble families behind the conflict.
Paul Atreides is played by Timothée Chalamet in Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two, and by Kyle MacLachlan in Dune (1984). Lady Jessica is Rebecca Ferguson in the Villeneuve films and Francesca Annis in the Lynch film. Duke Leto Atreides is Oscar Isaac in Dune (2021). Duncan Idaho is Jason Momoa in the 2021 film and Richard Jordan in 1984, while Gurney Halleck is Josh Brolin for Villeneuve and Patrick Stewart for Lynch.
Chani is played by Zendaya, who is billed thirteenth in Dune (2021) and second in Dune: Part Two. Stilgar is Javier Bardem in the Villeneuve films and Everett McGill in 1984. On the Harkonnen side, Baron Harkonnen is Stellan Skarsgård (Kenneth McMillan in 1984), and Feyd-Rautha is Austin Butler in Part Two and Sting in 1984, where the name is credited as Feyd Rautha. TheWrap reported in March 2022 that Butler was in early talks for the part. Princess Irulan is Florence Pugh in Part Two and Virginia Madsen in the Lynch film, and the full lists are on Dune cast.
Dune Music: Composers and Songs
Dune soundtrack
Facts
- Dune: Part Three has a reported US theatrical release date of December 18, 2026. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune (1984) opened in the US on December 14, 1984. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune (2021) opened in US theaters on October 22, 2021. Deadline (syndicated by Yahoo), checked 2026-11-03
- Dune: Part Two (2024) opened in the US on March 1, 2024. TheWrap, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune (2021) had its world premiere on September 3, 2021 at the 78th Venice Film Festival. La Biennale di Venezia, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune: Part Two (2024) grossed $714,844,358 worldwide. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune: Part Two (2024) had a budget of $190,000,000. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune (2021) grossed $410,668,500 worldwide. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune (1984) grossed $31,504,126 worldwide. Box Office Mojo, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune (2021) runs 155 minutes. TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
- Dune: Part Two (2024) runs 167 minutes. TMDB, checked 2026-11-03
Dune in Pictures
Dune (1984) 
Dune (2021) 
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Where to Watch the Dune Movies
In the US, all three released Dune movies stream on HBO Max, according to JustWatch data on TMDB checked on November 3, 2026. Dune (1984) is also free with ads on YouTube in the US, and all three can be rented or bought through Apple TV and Amazon Video.
In the UK, Dune: Part Two is on Netflix, Dune (2021) is on HBO Max and Now TV Cinema, and Dune (1984) is on Lionsgate+ through an Amazon Channel. In Australia, Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two are on HBO Max, and Dune (1984) is on Lionsgate+ through an Amazon Channel. Apple TV and Amazon Video carry rentals or purchases of all three in both countries.
Streaming catalogs shift, so it is sensible to check before planning an evening. Where to watch Dune lists each film by country. If you are deciding what to press play on first, start with Dune movies in order.
Streaming availability data from JustWatch. Where to watch Dune by country.
Explore Dune
FAQs
How many movies will be in Dune?
Three Dune movies have been released so far: David Lynch's Dune (1984), Denis Villeneuve's Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024). Dune: Part Three opens on December 18, 2026, which makes four theatrical Dune films in all, three of them in Villeneuve's run. Coverage of Part Three describes no further film. The count and runtimes are on how many Dune movies there are.
How many Dune films will Denis Villeneuve make?
Three, counting Dune: Part Three. Villeneuve directed Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), and TheWrap's trailer coverage lists him as director of Part Three. That reporting does not mention a fourth Villeneuve Dune film, so none has been announced in it.
What to watch after Dune 2?
The direct follow-up is Dune: Part Three, which opens in US theaters on December 18, 2026, with trailers released on March 17 and July 8, 2026. Until then, Dune (1984) offers the earlier adaptation of the same novel, and Dune books vs movies compares the versions.
Is Dune worth watching?
The numbers favor the Villeneuve films: Dune: Part Two grossed $715 million on a $190 million budget, the highest in the series, according to Box Office Mojo. Both Villeneuve films run well over two hours (155 and 167 minutes), so they suit viewers who enjoy large scale science fiction. If Dune (2021) holds your attention, Part Two is the natural next step.
What is the plot of the Dune film?
Every Dune film starts from the same setup: the Emperor gives House Atreides control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the spice, and the move is both an honor and a risk. In Dune (2021), Paul is haunted by dreams of a Fremen girl and tested by Reverend Mother Mohiam. In Dune (1984), the move is a trap set by the Emperor and the Harkonnens. Dune: Part Two follows Paul and Lady Jessica to the Fremen of Sietch Tabr after House Atreides falls. Each film has its own page with the full plot: Dune (2021), Dune (1984) and Dune: Part Two.
What are the old Dune movies and the new Dune movies?
The old Dune movie is David Lynch's Dune (1984), a 136 minute film starring Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides. The new Dune movies are Denis Villeneuve's Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024), starring Timothée Chalamet, with Dune: Part Three to follow. They adapt the same novel but do not share a story continuity.
When does Dune: Part Three come out?
Dune: Part Three opens in US theaters on December 18, 2026, according to TheWrap, and the date is confirmed. The film is in post production. TheWrap also reports that IMAX theaters are secured for opening weekend. No UK or Australian release date has been reported. See Dune: Part Three for cast and status.
Which Dune movie made the most money?
Dune: Part Two made the most, with $715 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo, ahead of Dune (2021) at $411 million and Dune (1984) at $31.5 million. Part Two also had the largest budget of the three at $190 million. Market by market figures are on Dune box office.