Best Movies like Dune (2021)

Children of Men and Dune both follow protagonists navigating bleak futures where the fate of humanity hinges on one individual's importance and the broader battle for survival. Both stories combine elements of science fiction and adventure, exploring themes of destiny, resistance, and the heavy burden placed on a reluctant hero.

In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea, where her child's birth may help scientists save the future of humankind. Children of Men is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 49m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.6 by 7,987 people. The movie made an estimated total of $70,595,464 in the box office.

Arrival and Dune are visionary science fiction films directed by Denis Villeneuve, notable for their thoughtful approach to communication and human destiny within extraordinary circumstances. Both center on a protagonist faced with universe-altering decisions and explore the impact of advanced knowledge on the individual and society.

Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat. Arrival is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 56m runtime, released in 2016 with an average rating of 7.6 by 19,645 people. The movie made an estimated total of $203,388,186 in the box office.

Blade Runner 2049, another Denis Villeneuve project, shares Dune's contemplative exploration of power, identity, and the ramifications of resource control in a sprawling futuristic setting. Both films leverage impressive world-building to frame epic journeys of self-discovery and resistance against overwhelming societal forces.

Thirty years after the events of the first film, a new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, unearths a long-buried secret that has the potential to plunge what's left of society into chaos. K's discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard, a former LAPD blade runner who has been missing for 30 years. Blade Runner 2049 is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 44m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 7.6 by 15,415 people. The movie made an estimated total of $259,239,658 in the box office.

Interstellar and Dune present grand narratives about families separated by cosmic events and the search for new hope within extreme environments. Both films delve into the significance of legacy, future survival, and humanity’s resilience as characters cross dangerous frontiers to secure the future.

The adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage. Interstellar is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 49m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 8.5 by 40,623 people. The movie made an estimated total of $746,606,706 in the box office.

Ad Astra explores a protagonist’s personal journey across the solar system to uncover truths about his origins and humanity’s place in the universe, paralleling Dune's epic voyage where a young hero confronts family legacy and the survival of his people amidst interplanetary conflict and scarce resources.

The near future, a time when both hope and hardships drive humanity to look to the stars and beyond. While a mysterious phenomenon menaces to destroy life on planet Earth, astronaut Roy McBride undertakes a mission across the immensity of space and its many perils to uncover the truth about a lost expedition that decades before boldly faced emptiness and silence in search of the unknown. Ad Astra is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 3m runtime, released in 2019 with an average rating of 6.1 by 7,321 people. The movie made an estimated total of $127,461,872 in the box office.

Stalker and Dune both plunge their protagonists into mysterious, hazardous landscapes imbued with transformative power and the promise of unlocking human potential. Each story places a small group at the heart of perilous journeys shaped by existential questions and the unknown forces that dwell within uncharted terrain.

Near a gray and unnamed city is the Zone, a place guarded by barbed wire and soldiers, and where the normal laws of physics are victim to frequent anomalies. A stalker guides two men into the Zone, specifically to an area in which deep-seated desires are granted. Stalker is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 2h 42m runtime, released in 1979 with an average rating of 8.1 by 2,550 people.

The Fountain, like Dune, weaves narratives across time that contemplate fate, mortality, and sacrifice, as its characters pursue transcendence and struggle to save loved ones. Both films use a blend of science fiction and adventure to express deeply philosophical explorations about existence and destiny.

Spanning over one thousand years, and three parallel stories, The Fountain is a story of love, death, spirituality, and the fragility of our existence in this world. The Fountain is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.9 by 3,157 people. The movie made an estimated total of $15,304,890 in the box office.

Solaris and Dune immerse viewers in unfamiliar, isolating environments where characters confront reality-altering phenomena and the possibility of profound transformation. Both films unravel their plots on inhospitable planets, examining the psychological toll and weighty decisions required to ensure the future of humanity.

A psychologist is sent to a space station orbiting a planet called Solaris to investigate the death of a doctor and the mental problems of cosmonauts on the station. He soon discovers that the water on the planet is a type of brain which brings out repressed memories and obsessions. Solaris is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 2h 47m runtime, released in 1972 with an average rating of 7.8 by 1,869 people.

THX 1138 and Dune present futures where individuals must rise up against totalitarian control, with protagonists forced to escape and defy systems that threaten their existence. Both films use an oppressive setting to drive a narrative about personal agency and the fight for a better future.

People in the future live in a totalitarian society. A technician named THX 1138 lives a mundane life between work and taking a controlled consumption of drugs that the government uses to make puppets out of people. As THX is without drugs for the first time he has feelings for a woman and they start a secret relationship. THX 1138 is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 26m runtime, released in 1971 with an average rating of 6.4 by 1,082 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,437,000 in the box office.

Enemy shares with Dune a focus on identity crises and psychological tension, following protagonists whose paths are driven by forces beyond their immediate control. Both films are directed by Denis Villeneuve and investigate the impact of larger destinies and uncertainty on individual lives.

A mild-mannered college professor discovers a look-alike actor and delves into the other man's private affairs. Enemy is a movie from Canada in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.8 by 6,524 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,396,726 in the box office.

Jupiter Ascending and Dune both follow young individuals thrust into cosmic power struggles over the fate of empires and the control of extraordinary resources. Each film blends science fiction and adventure as their heroes confront family legacy and potential within an intricately built universe.

In a universe where human genetic material is the most precious commodity, an impoverished young Earth woman becomes the key to strategic maneuvers and internal strife within a powerful dynasty… Jupiter Ascending is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 7m runtime, released in 2015 with an average rating of 5.5 by 7,182 people. The movie made an estimated total of $184,000,000 in the box office.

Avatar, like Dune, centers on a pivotal conflict over a planet’s unique resource crucial to the future of civilizations. Both films immerse viewers in visually rich alien worlds and pose environmental and sociopolitical questions as they narrate the journey of an outsider who becomes central to the fate of a people.

In the 22nd century, a paraplegic Marine is dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission, but becomes torn between following orders and protecting an alien civilization. Avatar is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 42m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.6 by 34,379 people. The movie made an estimated total of $2,147,483,647 in the box office.

Ender's Game shares Dune's focus on a young protagonist tasked with shaping the fate of society amid militaristic intrigue and galactic threats. Both stories involve gifted youths navigating adult expectations and immense pressure as they are swept into wars that determine humanity’s future.

Based on the classic novel by Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game is the story of the Earth's most gifted children training to defend their homeplanet in the space wars of the future. Ender's Game is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.6 by 6,345 people. The movie made an estimated total of $125,537,191 in the box office.

Snowpiercer and Dune are set in societies struggling to survive harsh, resource-scarce conditions where class conflict and revolution are central. Each film follows characters confronting oppressive power structures and the necessity of difficult choices for collective survival in the aftermath of societal collapse.

In a future where a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, a class system evolves aboard the Snowpiercer; a train that travels around the globe via a perpetual-motion engine. Snowpiercer is a movie from South Korea in Korean, with a total 2h 7m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.9 by 10,549 people. The movie made an estimated total of $86,758,912 in the box office.

Annihilation and Dune are driven by explorations into mysterious regions that challenge the laws of nature, where protagonists face transformative journeys amid existential threats. Both blend adventure and science fiction, using unknown environments to test their characters’ courage and adaptability.

A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply. Annihilation is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 55m runtime, released in 2018 with an average rating of 6.4 by 9,493 people. The movie made an estimated total of $43,070,915 in the box office.

Never Let Me Go and Dune explore themes of predestined fates and the burden placed on younger generations as they uncover difficult truths about their purpose. Each film features characters wrestling with existential dilemmas within worlds shaped by systemic control over their lives.

As children, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy spend their childhood at an idyllic and secluded English boarding school. As they grow into adults, they must come to terms with the complexity and strength of their love for one another while also preparing for the haunting reality awaiting them. Never Let Me Go is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2010 with an average rating of 6.9 by 2,509 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,918,093 in the box office.

Prometheus, like Dune, is set on a perilous alien world where exploration leads to dangerous revelations about humanity’s origins and destiny. Both films place characters in hostile environments searching for answers linked to power and survival, driven by a mix of ambition and existential questioning.

A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. Prometheus is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.6 by 13,430 people. The movie made an estimated total of $403,354,469 in the box office.

Edge of Tomorrow and Dune blend science fiction and adventure, featuring characters thrust into relentless conflict and high-stakes battles that demand personal growth and adaptability. Both films focus on the journey of individuals who must conquer fear and rise to the occasion for the future of humanity.

Major Bill Cage is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously demoted and dropped into combat. Cage is killed within minutes, managing to take an alpha alien down with him. He awakens back at the beginning of the same day and is forced to fight and die again... and again - as physical contact with the alien has thrown him into a time loop. Edge of Tomorrow is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 54m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.6 by 15,309 people. The movie made an estimated total of $370,541,256 in the box office.

Cloud Atlas and Dune are epic narratives spanning multiple characters and timelines, unified by meditations on destiny, intergenerational responsibility, and the enduring struggle for freedom against formidable systems. Both films challenge their protagonists with choices that echo across their respective worlds’ futures.

A set of six nested stories spanning time between the 19th century and a distant post-apocalyptic future. Cloud Atlas explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Action, mystery and romance weave through the story as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero and a single act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution in the distant future. Based on the award winning novel by David Mitchell. Directed by Tom Tykwer and the Wachowskis. Cloud Atlas is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 52m runtime, released in 2012 with an average rating of 6.9 by 7,603 people. The movie made an estimated total of $130,482,868 in the box office.

Under the Skin explores identity, humanity, and alien encounters in unfamiliar settings. Like Dune, it follows a central character grappling with her nature amidst a world fraught with danger and ambiguity, using science fiction to provoke questions about belonging and transformation.

Man and Woman are reunited after a long time. Sorrow and desire cannot break the silence. But that's okay: when words don't come, it's the body that speaks. Under the Skin is a movie from Brazil in Portuguese, with a total 19m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.2 by 19 people.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence and Dune are philosophical science fiction films reflecting on what it means to be human amid societies structured around scarcity, control, and the prospect of hope. Each features journeys by young protagonists entrusted with heavy expectations in dystopian futures.

David, a robotic boy—the first of his kind programmed to love—is adopted as a test case by a Cybertronics employee and his wife. Though he gradually becomes their child, a series of unexpected circumstances make this life impossible for David. A.I. Artificial Intelligence is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 26m runtime, released in 2001 with an average rating of 7.1 by 6,765 people. The movie made an estimated total of $235,926,552 in the box office.

Oblivion and Dune both present isolated heroes who uncover hidden truths about their worlds while navigating the consequences of resource-driven conflict. Set on desolate planets with uncertain futures, each film challenges its protagonist’s understanding of loyalty, survival, and the broader fate of civilization.

Jack Harper is one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth. Part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war with a terrifying threat known as the Scavs, Jack’s mission is nearly complete. His existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger from a downed spacecraft. Her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows and puts the fate of humanity in his hands. Oblivion is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 4m runtime, released in 2013 with an average rating of 6.7 by 11,677 people. The movie made an estimated total of $286,168,572 in the box office.

The Man Who Fell to Earth, like Dune, centers on an outsider navigating a hostile environment to secure a vital resource for the survival of his people. Both films combine elements of science fiction with a personal journey toward adaptation, leadership, and confronting the burdens of destiny.

Thomas Jerome Newton is an alien who has come to Earth in search of water to save his home planet. Aided by lawyer Oliver Farnsworth, Thomas uses his knowledge of advanced technology to create profitable inventions. While developing a method to transport water, Thomas meets Mary-Lou, a quiet hotel clerk, and begins to fall in love with her. Just as he is ready to leave Earth, Thomas is intercepted by the U.S. government, and his entire plan is threatened. The Man Who Fell to Earth is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 19m runtime, released in 1976 with an average rating of 6.5 by 611 people.

The Fifth Element stands alongside Dune as a science fiction adventure built around a powerful substance that must be protected to avert catastrophe. Both stories depict richly realized worlds and follow chosen individuals whose actions will determine the future of civilizations.

In 2257, a taxi driver is unintentionally given the task of saving a young girl who is part of the key that will ensure the survival of humanity. The Fifth Element is a movie from France in French, with a total 2h 6m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.6 by 11,963 people. The movie made an estimated total of $263,920,180 in the box office.

The Prestige and Dune both focus on rivalries that escalate into life-altering contests driven by obsession and secret knowledge. Each film explores ambition, sacrifice, and the pursuit of legacy, albeit in distinctly different narrative and genre contexts.

A mysterious story of two magicians whose intense rivalry leads them on a life-long battle for supremacy -- full of obsession, deceit and jealousy with dangerous and deadly consequences. The Prestige is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 2h 10m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 8.2 by 17,870 people. The movie made an estimated total of $109,676,311 in the box office.

Moon and Dune depict solitary protagonists in remote, hostile environments vital to humanity’s future, exploring the psychological effects of isolation and duty. Both films are science fiction narratives where the discovery of concealed truths shifts the hero’s understanding of themselves and their world.

With only three weeks left in his three-year contract, Sam Bell is eager to return to Earth. Stationed alone at a Moon-based facility with his computer assistant GERTY, an unexpected accident sets off a series of unsettling events that shake his isolation. Moon is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 37m runtime, released in 2009 with an average rating of 7.6 by 6,388 people. The movie made an estimated total of $9,760,104 in the box office.

A Scanner Darkly and Dune use science fiction to critique oppressive power structures and examine the psychological ramifications for individuals struggling within these systems. Both focus on the tension between personal agency and the demands of larger, manipulative forces.

An undercover cop in a not-too-distant future becomes involved with a dangerous new drug and begins to lose his own identity as a result. A Scanner Darkly is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 40m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,984 people. The movie made an estimated total of $7,659,918 in the box office.

Paprika and Dune blend science fiction and surrealism to depict characters who enter vast, borderless worlds governed by extraordinary rules. Both explore how perception and consciousness shape personal destiny amid the upheaval caused by uncontrollable sources of power.

Dr. Atsuko Chiba is a research psychologist who uses a device called the DC Mini to enter her patients' dreams, wherein she adopts the alter-ego "Paprika". When the device is stolen, she must stop rogue elements from merging the dream and waking worlds. Paprika is a movie from Japan in Japanese, with a total 1h 30m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.8 by 2,936 people. The movie made an estimated total of $946,590 in the box office.

Space Sweepers and Dune are set in futuristic societies shaped by the control and pursuit of valuable resources. Both films follow resourceful protagonists negotiating dangerous, adventure-filled environments as they become entangled in high-stakes conflicts with far-reaching consequences.

When the crew of a space junk collector ship called The Victory discovers a humanoid robot named Dorothy that's known to be a weapon of mass destruction, they get involved in a risky business deal which puts their lives at stake. Space Sweepers is a movie from South Korea in Korean, with a total 2h 16m runtime, released in 2021 with an average rating of 7.0 by 1,161 people. The movie made an estimated total of $24,571 in the box office.

Aelita: Queen of Mars and Dune both unravel their stories on arid, alien planets where the quest for power, leadership, and revolution is driven by the struggle for scarce resources. Each film constructs an adventure around strange civilizations and the hope for societal transformation.

A young man travels to Mars in a rocket ship, where he leads a popular uprising against the ruling group with the support of Queen Aelita, who has fallen in love with him after watching him through a telescope. Aelita: Queen of Mars is a movie from Soviet Union in Russian, with a total 1h 51m runtime, released in 1924 with an average rating of 5.9 by 80 people.

Metropolis and Dune offer visions of societies divided by strict hierarchies, highlighting conflicts over leadership, class, and access to essential resources. Both elevate individual agency against the machinery of control through narratives that blend science fiction and adventure in grand, visually distinctive settings.

In a futuristic city sharply divided between the rich and the poor, the son of the city's mastermind meets a prophet who predicts the coming of a savior to mediate their differences. Metropolis is a movie from Germany in German, with a total 2h 28m runtime, released in 1927 with an average rating of 8.1 by 3,148 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,350,322 in the box office.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets shares with Dune an expansive, imaginative universe where young heroes undertake epic missions involving political intrigue, diverse societies, and the competition over powerful resources. Both deliver adventurous journeys across visually arresting science fiction landscapes.

In the 28th century, Valerian and Laureline are special operatives charged with keeping order throughout the human territories. On assignment from the Minister of Defense, the two undertake a mission to Alpha, an ever-expanding metropolis where species from across the universe have converged over centuries to share knowledge, intelligence, and cultures. At the center of Alpha is a mysterious dark force which threatens the peaceful existence of the City of a Thousand Planets, and Valerian and Laureline must race to identify the menace and safeguard not just Alpha, but the future of the universe. Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets is a movie from France in English, with a total 2h 17m runtime, released in 2017 with an average rating of 6.7 by 8,135 people. The movie made an estimated total of $225,973,340 in the box office.

The Fall and Dune are structured around fantastical tales of destiny, leadership, and self-discovery. Both focus on storytelling that blends reality with myth, as protagonists transform through epic journeys spurred by existential challenges and the drive to protect those they care about.

In a hospital on the outskirts of 1920s Los Angeles, an injured stuntman begins to tell a fellow patient, a little girl with a broken arm, a fantastic story about 5 mythical heroes. Thanks to his fractured state of mind and her vivid imagination, the line between fiction and reality starts to blur as the tale advances. The Fall is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 57m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 7.6 by 1,577 people. The movie made an estimated total of $3,984,390 in the box office.

Gattaca matches Dune's concern with predetermined roles and the struggle to transcend societal expectations based on genetic or hereditary factors. Each film addresses personal ambition and the courage required to challenge oppressive systems in pursuit of an authentic destiny.

Vincent is an all-too-human man who dares to defy a system obsessed with genetic perfection. He is an "In-Valid" who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation. Gattaca is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.6 by 7,030 people. The movie made an estimated total of $12,532,777 in the box office.

Contact and Dune both center on singular individuals who must interpret extraordinary phenomena while bearing the responsibility of advancing humanity’s understanding and survival. Each narrative builds around science fiction themes of discovery, interplanetary communication, and the personal sacrifice required to foster a better future.

A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality. Contact is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 30m runtime, released in 1997 with an average rating of 7.4 by 5,091 people. The movie made an estimated total of $171,120,329 in the box office.

The Matrix and Dune share protagonists awakened to the illusory nature of their environments, compelled to lead insurrections that challenge dominant, oppressive orders. Both use science fiction frameworks to question the nature of reality, fate, and personal transformation.

Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth. The Matrix is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 16m runtime, released in 1999 with an average rating of 8.3 by 28,355 people. The movie made an estimated total of $463,517,383 in the box office.

Minority Report and Dune both depict societies governed by advanced systems that shape the future, focusing on protagonists targeted by and resisting predestination and institutional overreach. Each uses thrilling storylines to dissect freedom, control, and the ethical conflicts at the intersection of power and prophecy.

John Anderton is a top 'Precrime' cop in the late-21st century, when technology can predict crimes before they're committed. But Anderton becomes the quarry when another investigator targets him for a murder charge. Minority Report is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 25m runtime, released in 2002 with an average rating of 7.4 by 9,787 people. The movie made an estimated total of $358,372,926 in the box office.