One of the most anticipated movies of 2021 is scheduled to be released in theaters and HBO Max on October 22 - Dune. You are totally excused if you ask “and what the heck is Dune and why are people excited about it?” We’re here to answer those questions and prep you for what we hope will be a sci-fi classic.

Dune the Novel

Dune (by Frank Herbert) was published in 1965. It won numerous awards and was the first installment in a 6-book series. Additional books written by the author’s son (Brian Herbert) have been released over the years, as well. Dune was a groundbreaking novel for its time as an incredibly sprawling world-building endeavor, with highly detailed cultures, politics, and technology. 

The novel’s story is set in the distant future, where humanity has spread out among the stars, developing into a feudal interstellar society in which a variety of noble houses control entire planets under the auspices of the Emperor. The first book focuses on the members of one such noble house - Atreides, with the main character being Paul Atreides, the young heir to the house. At the beginning of the film, the family and household (including servants and a military force) take stewardship of an inhospitable desert planet called Arrakis. The planet’s importance to the empire is that it is the sole source of Spice, a drug that extends life and enhances mental abilities. It is also a required element for interstellar navigation, and so the entire empire relies on the security of the planet.

The story is filled with political machinations, as House Atreides is betrayed from within and destroyed by a rival house that seeks ascendence in the empire. Paul and his mother escape into the wastelands of Arrakis, eventually joining the local population called the Freman. Paul follows a recognizable hero’s journey as he rises to lead the Fremen and take back the planet and his family’s power. 

While these are the bare bones of the plot, the story is expansive. It is so intricately woven that many people have considered it a huge challenge to adapt to the screen. However, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been attempts.

Dune Adaptations

The first attempted adaptation came in the 1970s, but after three years in development, the project was canceled due to a constantly growing budget. In 1984, David Lynch took his swing at an adaption and was able to take his vision to the big screen. It met with a generally poor reception from critics and audiences. Later, the book was adapted into a miniseries for the Sci-Fi Channel, called Frank Herbert’s Dune in 2000 and then a sequel in 2003 called Frank Herbert’s Children of Dune. None of the previous adaptations has been considered overly successful, which brings us to Denis Villeneuve's adaptation, which will hit theaters in October.  

The Lore

Not to compare it to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the Dune ‘universe’ is similarly complex. The MCU movies have largely worked in terms of serving both hardcore comic book fans who fully understand the complex backstories of many characters and newbies alike. Will Dune be able to walk that same tightrope? It is likely more challenging because unless you have read the books, much of the plot is going to take some time to comprehend. Here are just a few key things to know to help you come into the movie prepared.

Spice

As mentioned above, Spice or Melange is one of the most important aspects of keeping the empire alive and growing. This makes Arrakis the most important planet in the empire. This becomes more and more clear during the first book as the plot unfolds. We can assume the movie will follow a similar path.

Arrakis

This is the barren wasteland of a planet where Spice is produced, by enormous Sandworms that travel the planet under the sands, leaving Spice in their wake. Those Sandworms will play an important role in the story, and you can bet they will be a big CGI spectacle.

House Atreides

One of the most powerful and popular (perhaps too much so) in the empire. The house is led by Duke Leto Atreides. They are given control of Arrakis as a reward from the emperor. But, as with many political gifts, there may be ulterior motives behind it. 

House Harkonnen

At the beginning of the book, House Harkonnen is in charge of Arrakis. They are removed by the emperor for mismanagement and theft of Spice. You can imagine they are none too happy about it and immediately hold a grudge against House Atreides. 

Fremen

These are the native people of Arrakis. They are a tribal community that is dedicated to living in harmony with their desert planet. They have adapted to live and thrive in the harsh environment, partly through the use of ‘stillsuits’ which cover the body completely and collect every bit of liquid produced, then filter and distill it into drinkable water.  Gross, but effective. Fremen have eyes that are entirely blue, as they are exposed to Spice on a daily basis. Various factions of the Fremen have become freedom fighters against the occupation by the empire’s ruling Houses.

Bene Gesserit

This is a guild of genetically and supernaturally enhanced women throughout the empire. They are trained from birth to harness a wide range of mental and physical powers. In some parts of the empire, they are revered as holy women, and in others thought of as witches. But, they are a powerful force in the empire. Duke Leto Atreides’ wife is a member of the Bene Gesserit.

Mentat

At some point in the past, the empire banned the use of computers, because of a war with computers that became self-aware, artificial intelligence. Mentats are human beings who have been enhanced to become living computers. They serve all of the great Houses. 

There’s plenty more, but this gives you a good starting point to prepare for Dune the movie release in October!