Frank Herbert’s Dune is one of the most influential science fiction sagas of all time, inspiring everything from Star Wars and Alien (1979) to Blade Runner (1982) and Mad Max (1979). For decades, the Dune universe has been adapted for film and television, and each version offers a unique take on Herbert’s vast, politically charged sci-fi saga.
Whether you’re discovering Dune for the first time or revisiting its sand-swept worlds as a devoted fan, this guide breaks down every Dune adaptation in release order. You’ll also find details on where to stream, rent, or buy each title on platforms like Apple TV+, HBO Max, and more, along with notes on what makes each version worth your time—and how they offer a different flavor of spice to the Dune universe.
Dune (1984)
Following Alejandro Jodorowsky’s famously failed attempt to adapt the story in the 1970s, the first ever Dune adaptation was directed by surrealist filmmaker David Lynch for Universal Pictures in 1984. Despite boasting ambitious visual effects and one of cinema’s most creative directors at the helm, it was panned by critics and became a commercial failure, grossing $30.9 million from a $40 million budget. In fact, this version has been a critics’ punching bag for decades, and even Lynch distanced himself from it, claiming he didn’t have control of the film’s final cut. But that doesn’t mean you should discount it entirely.
The 1984 adaptation of Dune’s most contentious issue is its convoluted narrative, which struggles to condense the novel’s complex story into just two hours and twenty minutes (the shortest runtime of any Dune adaptation). So this version of Dune isn’t the ideal entry point into the franchise (for that, you can jump ahead to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One), but it can still be enjoyed for its visual spectacle and sci-fi eccentricism. The film’s elaborate and otherworldly costumes and set designs will appeal to fans of Brazil (1995) and The City of Lost Children (1995), and it includes some of the more surreal plot developments that didn’t make it into Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two. So if you’re interested in the weirder, transcendental aspects of Dune, don’t miss out on the 1984 adaptation—after you’ve seen the more recent movies.
Frank Herbert's Dune (2000)
The commercial failure of Lynch’s Dune reaffirmed the franchise’s label as an unfilmable novel, so fans would have to wait another 15 years to see a new take on the Dune universe. The three-part mini-series Frank Herbert’s Dune aired on the Sci-Fi Channel, marking the novel’s first ever adaptation for TV. It runs for over four hours, allowing time for many scenes and details from the novel that were excluded from the 1984 movie.
Offering saturated backdrops and colorful lighting, this ambitious show was relatively successful, winning two Primetime Emmy Awards (for Outstanding Cinematography and Outstanding Special Effects) and receiving positive ratings on the Sci-Fi Channel. But despite its award-winning visual achievements, a lot has changed since the early 2000s, and the show still falls short of today’s standards for special effects. So if you only enjoy polished, expensive sci-fi shows like The Expanse (2015) and Westworld (2016), you might be put off by this show’s aesthetic. On the other hand, Frank Herbert’s Dune has a 2000s nostalgic charm and has a long enough runtime to include the novel’s most important moments.
Anyone who enjoys sci-fi shows that ambitiously adapt otherworldly stories on a limited budget, such as Doctor Who (2005), Battlestar Galactica (2004), and Red Dwarf (1998) should check it out. But perhaps the best reason to watch Frank Herbert’s Dune is because it directly leads into the Sci-Fi Channel’s impressive sequel.
Frank Herbert's Children of Dune (2003)
The success of the Sci-Fi Channel’s Frank Herbert’s Dune led to a follow up show, Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune. This is another three-part miniseries with a comparable budget to the first installment. The sequel, which sees a lot of the core cast reprising their roles, is a combined adaptation of two novels: Dune: Messiah and Children of Dune.
One of the best reasons to watch Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune is that it’s a rare adaptation of a Dune novel that isn’t the first book—along with Dune: Prophecy (2024) and the upcoming Dune: Part Three (2026). So it offers something unique compared to almost every other movie and TV show on this list. If you’ve always wondered what happens to the Atreides lineage after the events of Dune, this is a must-watch series about Paul’s offspring. That also means you should avoid the show entirely if you don’t want spoilers for Dune: Part Three, which also adapts Dune: Messiah.
Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune improves upon the first installment in almost every way. The performances are stronger (with James McAvoy and Susan Sarandon joining the cast), and the writers did a great job of adapting two novels without oversimplifying the story. The special effects are just as outdated, but this is less distracting during the show’s dialogue-heavy scenes thanks to the atmospheric cinematography.
Jodorowsky’s Dune (2013)
Next on the list is something completely different. Jodorowsky’s Dune isn’t an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novels, but I’ve included it on this list because it’s a must-see documentary for fans of the franchise, and one of the best behind-the-scenes documentaries for science fiction fans. Jodorowsky’s Dune documents Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky’s plans to adapt the popular sci-fi novel in 1974, pre-dating Lynch’s movie by a decade. It shows how the film became an influential sci-fi production despite never getting made.
Going well beyond the ambition to make just another adventure movie, Jodorowsky plotted a psychedelic space opera unlike anything audiences would have seen before. His plans included Salvador Dalí as Emperor Shaddam IV, Orson Welles as Baron Harkonnen, and a 3000-page storyboard by Jean “Moebius” Giraud. In fact, the documentary’s greatest scene shows how that storyboard likely influenced movies such as Star Wars, The Terminator (1984), Flash Gordon (1980), and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).
While we’ll never get to experience Jodorowsky’s true vision, this documentary serves as the next best thing. I think it makes a brilliant double-bill with Lynch’s Dune thanks to all the context it provides. So if you love behind-the-scenes filmmaking stories or want to learn about the influences behind your favorite sci-fi movies, this is a perfect addition to your watchlist.
Dune: Part One (2021)
After almost two decades without any new Dune movies or TV shows, visionary director Denis Villeneuve finally took audiences back to Arrakis with Dune: Part One. Dune: Part One offers the perfect introduction to the franchise, and I highly recommend watching this first if you’re completely new to the universe. It’s an incredibly faithful adaptation that captures the mood and tone of the novel while also bringing the world to life with world-class cinematography, editing, sound design, and special effects. It strikes the balance perfectly between making the movie accessible to newcomers while also including visual and audio cues that can be interpreted by fans to have greater meaning.
Something you need to know before watching Dune: Part One is that, as the name suggests, the movie only adapts the first half of the novel. So don’t expect a conclusive ending. Instead, this is akin to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), in which the ending serves as the beginning of a much bigger story.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
Dune: Part One was successful enough to allow Villeneuve to conclude his adaptation of the original novel. The follow-up, Dune: Part Two, follows Paul’s attempted revenge on the Harkkonens and Emperor Shaddam IV for betraying House Atreides. If you enjoyed the first movie but wanted more action, make sure you watch Dune: Part Two. While the movie doesn’t have the quieter moments of reflection that made Dune: Part One stand out amongst other sci-fi blockbusters, Dune: Part Two is a visual spectacle that offers even more close-combat fight sequences and large-scale warfare. In particular, a gladiatorial fight on Ghedi Prime (the Harkonnen’s home world) is impossible to forget, especially if you can see it on a large screen with a quality sound system.
Villeneuve’s second Dune movie was extremely well-received when it hit theaters, but the director took more liberties when adapting the source material in comparison to the extremely faithful Part One. So if you’re already a die-hard fan of the book, you should expect a few surprises in terms of plot development and character motivations.
Dune: Prophecy (2024)
With the franchise’s renewed popularity thanks to Villeneuve’s adaptations, the HBO series Dune: Prophecy’s first season was released in 2024. Based on Sisterhood of Dune by Brian Herbert (the son of Frank Herbert) and Kevin J. Anderson, the series takes place ten thousand years before the events of Dune, centering on the sisterhood that would eventually be known as the Bene Gesserit and their vast network of political influence across the universe. So if you’re fascinated by Dune’s eugenics and Bene Gesserit’s plan to create the Kwisatz Haderach, Dune: Prophecy was tailor-made for you.
While the Sci-Fi Channel’s TV shows have their own qualities, the production value of Dune: Prophecy is incomparable to any other Dune show. Just like HBO’s other sci-fi shows, such as The Last of Us (2023) and Westworld, Dune: Prophecy has a cinematic quality that makes it easy to enjoy alongside the visually stunning Dune: Part One and Part Two. It’s also a good pick for anyone who loves Game of Thrones (2011), as the show explores power dynamics between rival houses and the conflicting ambitions of complex characters.
Dune: Part Three (2026)
Thanks to the success of Dune: Part Two, Villeneuve and the core cast will return for Dune: Part Three, including Timothy Chalamet as Paul, Zendaya as Chani, and Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan. The movie is an adaptation of Dune: Messiah, offering another deep exploration of the dangers of charismatic leaders and messianic figures.
So if you don’t want to know what happens in Dune: Part Three, you should avoid watching Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune until you can watch the upcoming movie in theaters. However, changes to the story in Part Two and Villeneuve’s unique vision means nobody can be entirely sure how the events will play out in this version of the Dune universe until the movie’s theatrical release in December 2026.
