Dune (2021)
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The aristocratic House Atreides is thrust into a deadly war for the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the universe's most vital substance.
The story
Set in the distant future, the film follows Paul Atreides as his family, the aristocratic House Atreides, is thrust into a war for the inhospitable desert planet Arrakis. Arrakis is the sole source of "spice", a valuable psychotropic substance that is key to interstellar travel. Duke Leto Atreides is assigned to replace Baron Vladimir Harkonnen as the fiefholder of the planet. However, the Emperor is fearful of Leto's rising power and plots with House Harkonnen to retake the land and destroy House Atreides. Amidst this conflict, Paul must navigate the dangers of the desert and the complexities of his own destiny.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In the distant future, Duke Leto Atreides takes over the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of 'spice' essential for interstellar travel. The Emperor, fearing Leto's power, conspires with House Harkonnen to destroy the Atreides. Leto's daughter, Paul, and his mother, Lady Jessica (a member of the Bene Gesserit), are caught in the crossfire. After a betrayal by a trusted ally, the Harkonnens launch a brutal invasion. Leto is incapacitated, and Paul and Jessica are left in the desert. During their escape, Paul's exposure to spice triggers intense visions of a holy war in his name. They eventually find refuge with the Fremen, a native tribe. Paul faces a ritual duel to the death against a Fremen warrior and, despite his mother's warnings, chooses to join the Fremen to fulfill his father's dream of bringing peace to Arrakis.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 155
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Denis Villeneuve
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts · screenplay; Denis Villeneuve · screenplay; Eric Roth · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Timothée Chalamet · Paul Atreides; Rebecca Ferguson · Lady Jessica; Oscar Isaac · Duke Leto Atreides; Josh Brolin · Gurney Halleck; Stellan Skarsgård · Baron Vladimir Harkonnen; Dave Bautista · Glossu Rabban; Stephen M. Henderson · Thufir Hawat; Zendaya · Chani
- Genres
- epic space opera
- Themes
- destiny; power; war
- Tone and mood
- epic
- Premise and plot tags
- space opera; sci-fi
- Source material / true-story basis
- the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert
- Franchise connections
- Dune film trilogy
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics and audiences.
- Production trivia
- The film is the third adaptation of Dune.; The production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.; The film was ranked as one of the top ten films of 2021 by the American Film Institute.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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